By Sarah Roebuck
Corrections1
STANLEY, Wis. — Nearly two dozen children who might not have had a bed will now have a warm place to sleep, thanks to the efforts of inmates at Stanley Correctional Institution.
In a partnership with the nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace, more than 60 SCI inmates worked with community volunteers to build 22 beds for children in need, according to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
“When individuals are released back into the community, we want them to have the skills they need to succeed and thrive,” said Jared Hoy, secretary of the Department of Corrections (DOC). “Part of that is helping the persons in our care find productive ways to give back and connect with their communities. This process starts right away during incarceration and is the reason why our facilities are constantly looking for appropriate opportunities to serve.”
The partnership began when Derrick Laufenberg, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s Chippewa Valley chapter, received a donation from SCI inmates who had raised over $7,300 for the nonprofit, WDOC said. Inspired by their efforts, Laufenberg worked with the prison to organize the bed-building event.
“We had to jump through some hoops to get this to work,” said Laufenberg, who believes this is the first time that Sleep in Heavenly Peace partnered with a correctional facility. “I just thought working with inmates – realistically – we could all be one decision away from being in a similar situation.”
The group of more than 60 volunteers at SCI built 22 beds in under three hours on Oct. 9, WDOC said. The beds will be donated to children in Chippewa, Eau Claire, Rusk and Barron counties. In addition, SCI’s Stanley Corrections’ Outreach Program Equals Success program contributed 10 handmade quilts, with an additional 10 quilts donated by a local charity, ensuring that each child will also receive a colorful, child-friendly quilt.
One of the inmate volunteers, Sean Abbott, said he was happy to help the kids.
“Anytime I get a chance to do something positive in here, I’m going to take it,” Abbott said.
Another inmate volunteer, Omar Simpson, said he was grateful for a chance to participate in the event and contribute to the community.
“Every kid should have a bed and be able to get a good night’s rest,” Simpson said. “It means a lot. It could be my kids that need a bed.”
Laufenberg praised the event as his group’s best build yet, noting that the partnership not only benefited the children receiving the beds but also left a positive impact on the incarcerated volunteers.