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The Selma Housing Authority ensured 30 of its families had a comfortable place to rest their heads by donating bed and bed-related accessories on Thursday afternoon.

The event marked the second time SHA has done such a giveaway. Prior to the pandemic, SHA President and Chief Executive Officer Kennard Randolph said a similar initiative took place in 2019, where 20 families were the beneficiaries of beds, frames, mattresses, box springs, pillows, sheets and bedding. Randolph added he would like this to be an annual event.

“It is important that we start this initiative to make sure that no family, no child, no senior is without a bed,” he said. “The pandemic halted our efforts; however, we’re able to continue this giveaway. This year, we’re going to do 30 beds, and hopefully our goal is to increase the number of beds each year. It’s to let our residents know that we care about them, and we want to make sure they not only have a place to live, but they are comfortable inside the homes that they live in.”

Sean Vandiver Sr., one of five Commissioners on SHA’S Board of Commissioner, said the authority partnered with Mr. Mattress Superstore to make this giveaway possible. The items given to the residents were either purchased or donated.

“When you’re dealing with something like this in the community, you don’t know how important it is until you’ve been without,” he said. “For a child to be without a bed at this time and age, it’s a huge thing when you can go into your own room and get into your own bed. We’re actually wanting to provide that for the residents, those that can’t afford it themselves.”

Randolph said it felt phenomenal to reinstate the initiative.

“It feels good to be able to give back to our residents and to not only providing affordable housing, but also to provide the other necessities that they need inside their homes”

When the authority conducted the bed giveaway in 2019, Randolph said it brought excitement to the community and that residents were overjoyed and appreciative of the endeavor.

“Not only did they have gratitude and appreciation towards us, but we have gratitude and appreciation for them as well,” he said.

Vandiver said the authority is involved with other events throughout the year to assist the residents who live in SHA residences.

“We’ve got a public service coordinator, and they go out and do certain things like COVID testing,” he said. “We do HIV testing. We do a lot of after-school events with the children as far as getting them study habits and things like that. This is just another phase of our community process.”

He added those who work at SHA care about their residents.

“Just because you’re coming from a lower income doesn’t mean you’re less of a person,” Vandiver said. “Our goal is to treat everybody as we want to be treated and to be fair and Godly with them at all times.”