LORAIN, Ohio — Sawing, sanding, measuring, cutting.
It’s like Santa’s workshop inside this building in Amherst.
But not for toys.
We often focus on kids in need getting fed and being housed — but here, the goal is making sure every child has a safe place to lay their head at night.
A bed to call their very own.
“We’ve gone into situations where are sleeping on concrete floors, kids are sleeping in closets in a nest of clothes, kids are sleeping with their parents, on couches, on chairs,” said Roger Dorsey, founder of Good Knights of Lorain County.
And it’s a passion of Dorsey’s to change that for children — one that hits close to home.
“I was one of these kids that slept on the floor, and it wasn’t because my mom didn’t love me, wasn’t because she didn’t work a job,” Dorsey said. “I was one of seven kids and it was hard.”
Dorsey created the nonprofit in June 2020 and since then, they’ve built and donated more than 850 beds for children all across Lorain County.
With Ukrainian refugees and families living together post-COVID after job losses and economic stress, their demand has never been higher.
So far in 2022, they’ve already built and delivered 322 beds.
And not only is the rising demand a challenge, but so are the rising costs of materials and lumber.
Mattresses are costing $10 to $20 more. The price of lumber has increased 35 to 45%.
On top of all that, their donations are drastically down.
“Our individual donors last year gave us over $40,000 — that’s mom and pop sitting down and writing a check,” Dorsey explained. “We’re getting, at the end of our fiscal year this year, barely $5,000. And I get it.”
Beds cost $300 from start to finish — that includes lumber, materials, sheets, blankets and pillows.
The labor is free, everyone working at Good Knights is a volunteer, spending their own time and gas money.
And they do it for the smiles and squeals of joy.
We were there as Lewis Sampson’s two young grandchildren got their bunkbed delivery — pink unicorn sheets for the 3-year-old girl.
“She was so excited all morning,” Sampson said. “It just means a lot to us.”
Because as an adult, as a child — not much can beat a good night's sleep.
“A very good night’s sleep,” Sampson said his granddaughter was thrilled to have. “Because I grew up rough and not having a lot of things and we try so hard to make it where they don’t have to be like that. But I lost my job, jobs have slowed down. We’re trying. It’s hard, but we don’t stop trying.”
And despite higher costs and fewer donations, the Good Knights of Lorain County won’t stop trying either.
If you are in need of a bed for your child ages 3 to 18, you can click here to make a request.
If you are interested in donating your time, lumber, or money to help out, please click here.
