Syracuse University Volunteers Build Beds for Kids in Need

Student organization partners with non-profit to provide over 100 beds for local children

Feb. 20, 2026 at 8:49pm

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On February 20, Syracuse University hosted a volunteer event to build beds for kids in need. The Syracuse University Volunteer Organization partnered with the non-profit Sleep in Heavenly Peace to construct over 100 beds for children in the Syracuse community. The event was the result of months of planning and fundraising by the student organization, with volunteers expressing how meaningful it was to give back and help provide stability for those struggling.

Why it matters

Access to a proper bed is a basic need that many children in the Syracuse area lack, impacting their health, development, and overall well-being. This volunteer event demonstrates how the university and local community can come together to address this issue and make a tangible difference in the lives of underprivileged youth.

The details

The Syracuse University Volunteer Organization coordinated with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a non-profit that gathers materials and organizes bed-building events, to construct over 100 beds for children in need across the Syracuse area. The student-led event was the result of seven months of planning and fundraising, allowing the organization to have the necessary resources and logistics in place to execute the project.

  • The volunteer event took place on February 20, 2026.
  • The Syracuse University Volunteer Organization has been planning the event since August 2025.

The players

Syracuse University Volunteer Organization

A student organization at Syracuse University that coordinated the bed-building event in partnership with a local non-profit.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

A non-profit organization that gathers materials and works on the details to be able to build beds for children in need.

Ava Portney

The president of the Syracuse University Volunteer Organization, who expressed how the event has brought volunteering to the next level for the organization.

Cody Wade

The director of the Syracuse University Volunteer Organization, who shared how the event relates to his own struggles growing up without stability.

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What they’re saying

“We've been planning this since August, so it's been seven months. We were lucky to fundraise by the time we hit November, so since then, we've been handling the logistics, and this is the third year we're doing it. It's been a really good experience so far.”

— Ava Portney, President, Syracuse University Volunteer Organization

“Growing up, I didn't have the best childhood, so I knew that instability that can come with something like not having a bed or not having electricity, so it really means a lot to see so many people in the community come together and be a part of something much larger.”

— Cody Wade, Director, Syracuse University Volunteer Organization

What’s next

The organizers of the event hope to continue the bed-building event for a fourth year, and are seeking additional donations and volunteers to help make that happen.

The takeaway

This volunteer event demonstrates the power of community collaboration to address critical needs and make a tangible difference in the lives of underprivileged children. By leveraging the resources and enthusiasm of the university and local non-profit, the Syracuse University Volunteer Organization was able to provide over 100 kids with the stability and comfort of a proper bed.