Good Knights facing increased demand for children's beds

The economy means Good Knights of Lorain County is facing higher demand for the children's beds it builds, while it also hopes to recruit more volunteers as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. The nonprofit, which takes donations and builds beds for children who otherwise might have to sleep on the floor, has partnered with additional nonprofit agencies this year, President/Executive Director Roger Dorsey said Monday. The agency is seeing more demand and more clients, while corporate and foundational donations have turned to programs that emphasize food needs and families dealing with inflation and higher gas prices. Money recipients do not have to spend it on a bed for a child; it can be spent on essentials like food, rent or medicine. Good Knights also is facing increased materials costs — up 35 percent to 40 percent or more, Dorsey said. Individual donations of small amounts of money, sheets or bedding also have fallen due to the economy. "A lot of foundations have turned to food, health, immediate essentials," Dorsey said. Meanwhile, "I've had more engagement with social services organizations, children's services. … I've got social workers calling me. … How can we say no?" Planning, building and delivery used to take up to three to four weeks. That's now doubled to six to eight weeks, Dorsey said. Once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, requests for beds have been flooding in: As of Monday, Good Knights has 80 requests and anticipates up to 400 more before the end of the year. The organization delivered 384 beds in 2021. In the first five months of 2022, it has built and delivered 287 beds, putting it on track to more than double its output from last year. There is still a viable, energetic volunteer base: This year, 636 volunteers have contributed 2,242 hours to build and deliver beds, Dorsey said. Recently, The Nordson Foundation, EMC Precision in Elyria and the Murray Ridge School Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts troops donated time and money to the cause. Dorsey hopes to entice more people to volunteer, while recognizing that fuel costs affect them, too. "Those are things everybody's facing," Dorsey said. "Everybody is just feeling the crunch. We want to let folks know where we're at, and beg for help." And if someone has a pile of lumber in their backyard they don't need, Dorsey said he'd take donations. "I'm not too proud," he said. The group also accepts donations of sheets and bedding. To volunteer, donate or see some of the results of the group's efforts, visit Good Knights at goodknightsoflc.org; go to the Facebook page, facebook.com/goodknightsoflc; call (440) 420-5430; or email jeff@goodknightsoflc.org. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com or on Twitter @daveobrienCT.