Sofas for Service looks for new bed donations
Sofas for Service needs the community’s help in providing more veterans in need with a place to sleep.
ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU) -Whether you sleep on a twin, queen or king size bed, having a place to lay your head at night is a luxury some of us can take for granted.
Sofas for Service has been providing veterans in need with household furnishings for more than three years.
“I’m writing this as I sit on the sofa while looking around and thinking how blessed I am....”
Founder and president Pete Hestekin says payments are made in gratitude—like this letter received Easter weekend from a combat veteran.
“I feel a sense of overwhelming gratitude to sofas for service. The view from here is astonishing as I take in all that has been so freely donated....”
The volunteer run organization is hoping to continue its mission, but money is tight.
“We’re down to $2,000 when that’s gone we basically only have enough money to survive for another year with what we have set aside for the overhead,” says Hestekin.
The demand is greater than the supply, as more vets are speaking up and asking for help.
“Most of these guys and gals have some PTSD issues are really struggling to get back in, this just helps lift them up and gives them a fighting chance,” Hestekin says.
Purchasing beds, is their biggest expense.
“You walk into a veterans home and see that they’re sleeping on the floor with a pillow and a sheet, couple sheets and maybe a blanket you really want to get them up off the floor,” Hestekin says.
“Since the beginning of the year, we’ve serviced about 33 veterans that we’ve helped with items so that’s kind of about 10 per month,” says Debbie Horan, Sofas for Service volunteer.
Horan says they’ve purchased 23 beds this year costing roughly $8,000.
“One thing that I’m quite certain of is all of the veterans we are helping, never would have guessed that in fifteen or twenty years that they would be in the position that they’re in looking for housing and also for items to put into the houses that they’ve been able to find,” says Horan.
No questions asked, if you’re a veteran you can come and shop the warehouse or their team of volunteers will load up the trailer and bring it to you.
The Sofas for Service warehouse located in Altoona is open Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:30 for donation drop-offs.
If you would like to donate to their bed fund or know of a veteran in need, you can visit their facebook page or website.
THE NON-PROFIT ASKS FOR NEW BEDS ONLY, DUE TO HEALTH CONCERNS. USED BEDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
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