CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – Cars in Christiansburg hit the brake to raise funds to build beds for children in need.
On Sunday, nearly 50 cars popped open their hoods outside of the Blue Ridge Church in Christiansburg in the name of charity.
Gearheads for a Cause partnered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to help provide children a warm bed at night. In nearly one year, the nonprofit has built and delivered 150 beds.
“A year of building and delivering…we have kids on the floor,” Sleep in Heavenly Peace Chapter President Paul Mele said. “The national average may be 3-4%, but I would tell you I think it’s higher in our area.”
Mele said last year more than 40 children were on a waiting list to move off the floor and under some sheets. To get ahead of the demand, people donated bedsheets and money at the fundraiser Sunday.
A handful of food trucks and a table of raffle goodies also lined the car show, but a local children’s dentist stole the show with his balloon animal creations.
Jay Smith, one of the co-founders of Gearheads for a Cause, said seeing children in need will always have a soft spot in his heart.
“It really saddens us,” he said. “I have three kids myself, so I know what it’s like. I know the struggles that some families could go through.”
Smith said there is also one secret donor who will match up to $1,000 to support the local nonprofit.