Heart, Hammer & Hope: The Sleep in Heavenly Peace Story

On this week's episode of the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast my guest is someone whose story will stay with you long after the episode ends: Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. 

Luke’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
 He didn’t create a nonprofit — he sparked a national movement.

Featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, and recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero, Luke has been sharing a truth most people never even consider:

There is a crisis happening in America that we don’t talk about.

Not every child has a bed.

Since 2012, over 250,000 children have received brand-new beds because of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and its army of volunteers. Yet the need continues to grow.

We talk about hunger.
We talk about clothing.
But we rarely talk about the child sleeping on a cold floor…
or a blanket in the backseat of a car…
or a couch they share with siblings.

Luke has seen those children.
He has delivered beds to those families.
And he has witnessed the look on a child’s face when they receive something many of us take for granted — a safe, warm, comfortable place to sleep. A moment that restores dignity, hope, and childhood itself.

And here’s what makes this story even more powerful:

Luke didn’t seek out this mission — it found him.

A simple act.
A moment of paying attention.
A heart that refused to look away.
That is all it took to ignite a movement.

Today, with national partners like Lowe’s and DeWALT, SHP has chapters across the country — but many communities still have none. The need is everywhere. Which is why Luke speaks so passionately about starting new chapters in towns, cities, and states nationwide.

In this unforgettable episode, we discuss:

·         The moment that changed Luke’s life — and thousands of others

·         The emotional reality of child bedlessness in America

·         What it feels like to hand a child their very first bed

·         Why heart health — emotional and physical — is intertwined with service

·         How YOU can start a Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter and help change lives

This isn’t just a story — it’s a wake-up call.
A reminder that one act of service can ripple into something life-changing.

Let’s make sure no child sleeps on the floor in our towns — or any town.

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