Expand Energy recently partnered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society Bed Ministry to help families in the Wheeling, West Virginia, area get a better night’s sleep. It’s the second consecutive year that EXE has taken on this volunteer project to give back to our local communities.
Supported by a $5,000 donation from the company, EXE interns paired up with their mentor employees to deliver and assemble 12 beds for seven families, including four twin beds for children who had previously been sleeping on the floor. The team also provided pillows and linens.
Community Affairs Manager Stephanie Paluda learned about the Bed Ministry through a United Way allocations meeting.
“I knew people struggled with homelessness, but I didn’t realize there was a problem where families had secured housing but still didn’t have a real bed to sleep in,” Paluda said. “With this donation, we now know these children are getting a full night’s sleep in a real bed — giving them a better chance at succeeding in school.”
The bed ministry is operated entirely by volunteers, many of whom are retirees who can’t carry mattresses up multiple flights of stairs. St. Vincent de Paul Society Secretary Vickie Joseph said that the day Expand Energy volunteers each year is often one of their busiest delivery days.
“It’s just amazing that Expand Energy gives back to the community the way they do,” Joseph said. “It’s great that they come into the community, see a need and actually take steps to meet that need.”
