BUCKHANNON — Riverstone Community Services’ Bed For Every Head program has completed 51 placements, providing safe and appropriate sleeping arrangements for children and families in need.
Riverstone Community Services is the community assistance branch of the West Virginia State Hospital Initiative Inc.
The program launched Aug. 26, 2025, with an initial service area centered on Upshur, Gilmer, Randolph and Webster counties. Within the first 29 days, Bed For Every Head completed 12 placements, including four in Webster County.
The program has continued to grow. Riverstone Community Services first expanded service to households within a 90-minute driving radius of its Buckhannon office. The organization later tested a direct-shipping method, which officials said proved successful. As a result, Bed For Every Head can now serve families in all 55 West Virginia counties in most cases, provided the home can receive delivery through FedEx, UPS, USPS or another workable method.
Placements have been made in Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Randolph, Marion, Webster, Barbour, Braxton, Nicholas and Harrison counties.
“Bed For Every Head was built around a simple idea: what matters most is not why a child is without a bed, but that the child has one,” said Titus Swan, chair and chief executive of WVSHI/RCS. “We saw a gap and built a response that could move quickly, carefully, and directly. Passing 50 placements tells us the need is real, but it also tells us the model works.”
The program standard is a twin bed kit, which generally includes a platform frame, mattress, waterproof mattress protector and bedding set. Pillows are included when needed, and if age appropriate and desired, the program may also provide a stuffed animal. Bed For Every Head can also provide bassinets, cribs and toddler beds when appropriate.
So far in 2026, Bed For Every Head has completed 23 placements, including seven during the final week of April.
Bed For Every Head was launched with opening support from the People’s Bank Foundation, whose funding helped make the program’s first placements possible. Additional support from the foundation also funded the seven placements completed during the final week of April and is expected to support up to 14 additional placements.
Applications are available through the Riverstone Community Services website. Referrals are accepted from schools, state agencies, federal programs, child welfare professionals, family-serving organizations and community partners.
The program was designed for rapid response while still using an application and verification process. In most cases, Riverstone Community Services can move from referral or application to approval within 48 hours or less, with delivery completed in most cases within four days. In some highly local cases, the process has moved from referral to approval to delivery on the same day.
The organization has also submitted a Congressional Directed Spending request that, if approved, would provide a long-term boost to Bed For Every Head and strengthen the program’s ability to serve families throughout West Virginia.
“Our next goal is to keep building capacity,” Swan said. “With continued support, we believe Bed For Every Head can surpass 100 placements before the end of 2026. That would mean more than a number. It would mean 100 children, youth, or family placements where a basic need was met with dignity and speed.”
Community members, businesses, agencies and organizations interested in learning more about Bed For Every Head may contact Riverstone Community Services at 304-460-5727, by email at riverstone@wvshi.org or online at www.wvshi.org.
