Beds from Christ program works to fill needs
For nearly two decades a ministry of the local United Methodist Church has been working to help make sure people have a secure place to sleep each night.
Beds from Christ was started in 2006 by members of the Medford United Methodist Church with the mission to provide beds and bedding to individuals and families in need in Taylor County.
According to Jean Flood, who helps coordinate the program, it operates as a committee with people referred to them for assistance. She explains that most referrals come from Taylor County Human Services, Stepping Stones, a significant number from Taylor House shelter, and a growing number from Oasis Church in Medford which serves members of the Hispanic community. In addition, the program receives referrals from the schools and from individuals. The individual referrals are screened by the committee to make sure they meet the criteria. All referrals are then reviewed by the church’s pastor who passes them along to the committee.
Those who qualify receive a new mattress, bed frame, and complete set of new bedding, blankets and quilts. They work to have extra bedding and quilts on hand to provide additional sets to those in need. Flood praised Our Savior Lutheran Church in Holway for providing a number of amazing quilts each year and helping support the program. She noted that St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Medford has also been a supporter of the program in the past and the program has received grant funds from Aspirus and from the Weather Shield LITE Foundation.
While donations and assistance from community members and organizations is a benefit, the bulk of the cost of the program has been carried by the United Methodist Church Congregation. Flood noted that with growing demand and a relatively small congregation there was a need for additional community support to keep the program going for years to come.
She explained that typically they would see 25 to 30 beds given out each year, but that this year they have given out 37 beds so far. Flood said the average cost of a new bed and bedding is about $470.
The program purchases the mattresses and beds locally from Better Buy on Main Street and Flood praised the company for working with them and for allowing them to store beds there until given out.
She said that single adults receive a full-sized bed, with couples receiving a queen size and children receiving twin sized. They have occasionally given out crib or toddler sized beds.
The program has been hit especially hard recently with larger families needing beds. She explained that they recently had seven beds go out to assist a large family with a number of children only had one bed to share between them.
She said many times the children or adults are sleeping on the floor or children are co-sleeping with their parents.
She said that so far in 2023, they have given out beds to seven men, 16 women, and 14 children. She noted that many of the women were referred to them by Stepping Stones due to domestic situations.
Flood said it is hard to quantify the very real benefits of ensuring that people have a place of their own to sleep at night noting it improves their schooling and their abilities during the work day.
“The difficult thing with this program is it is hard to measure what the quality of sleep does for people,” she said of the basic need the program helps fulfill.
Community members can help support the program by making monetary donations to the United Methodist Church in Medford with it designated to go toward the Beds From Christ program. Flood said 100% of the donations go toward beds or bedding.
People may also support the program by taking part in fundraisers held by the church such as one planned for this weekend.
