BOZEMAN — Hurricane Helene has devastated large areas of the southeast. Families have been displaced and evacuated in the aftermath of Helene and in preparation for Hurricane Milton.
Jason Clary, the CEO of Icon Bunks in Bozeman, has been building beds in the Gallatin Valley for more than 20 years. Now, he wants to give back to those affected by Helene in North Carolina.
"When we are in situations like this, it's not if, it's how. How do we help? How do we overcome this and come together to help your neighbor," Clary says.
He is ready to ship 50 beds 2,000 miles to the southeast.
"I perfected that design where we can take one sheet of plywood and make a bed frame. I contacted Beds For Kids in North Carolina, and they were happy to partner with us. So they will be that boots on the ground once we get that product to them," Clary says.
I reached out to Beds for Kids in Charlotte, North Carolina, and they sent me this statement:
Beds for Kids is grateful for the support from Jason and his company. He is allowing us to serve our neighbors when they need us most. We are a furniture bank fueled by the community's generosity and could not exist without donors like Jason!
Clary wanted to keep the design simple enough that anyone could put the bed together.
"This is about neighbors coming together to help neighbors, and although they are 2,000 miles away, they are still neighbors. It truly is what the United States is: a small town with extremely long streets," Clary says.
Clary and his team are calling this endeavor the Sparrow Project. The sparrow will be etched into the headboards of each bed.
"I am kind of a wildlife guy, and the sparrow has always kind of been a symbol of youth and life," Clary says.
Intermountain Wood Products of Belgrade donated some of the material. Clary also has Hurricane Milton on his radar.
The National Weather Service says if Milton stays on its course, it will be the most powerful hurricane to hit Tampa Bay in over 100 years.
"We are hoping that what we are doing in North Carolina can continue to get more traction. Then we can take these bedframes and begin a shipment to Florida because it will be the same need," Clary says.
To help donate or contribute to building beds visit the Icon Bunks website.
