Free Beds for Low-Income Families: Kids’ Beds, Cribs, and Bed Frames

Where to find free beds for low-income families

No government program mails out free beds. Instead, beds come from charities that either build new ones or collect gently used furniture and pass it on. Which one fits depends on who needs the bed.

• A child without a bed: Sleep in Heavenly Peace, then furniture banks and churches.
• Adults or a whole family moving into a home: furniture banks, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and local churches.
• A newborn or infant: Cribs for Kids partners, hospitals, WIC clinics, and local health departments.
• Someone with a medical condition: a hospital bed through Medicare, Medicaid, or a loan closet.
• After a disaster or fire: the Red Cross, local relief groups, and caseworkers who can refer you to a furniture bank.

If you only need a mattress and already have a frame, our guide to free mattresses for low-income families covers mattress-specific programs, recycling, and safety. This page focuses on getting a complete bed, including the frame.

A good first call is 211. A 211 specialist can tell you which furniture programs are serving your area right now, which need a referral, and which agencies can give you one. Call or visit 211.org; the service is free and confidential.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace beds for children

Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) is a volunteer charity that builds bunk and twin beds and delivers them to children who are sleeping on the floor, on a couch, or sharing a bed. It is still active. Its application page was open when we checked, though it notes that not all chapters are taking applications at the same time.

Who can apply

According to SHP’s application page:

• The child must be 3 to 17 years old.
• You must be the child’s legal guardian, or the child needs a referral from a school, social service, family member, or other local agency.
• You must live in a ZIP code served by an active chapter.
• Your home must be accessible and have a room large enough for a twin bed.
• SHP must be able to reach you by phone, text, or email.
• You sign a release form before delivery.

How to apply

1. Go to the SHP application form and enter your ZIP code. It tells you whether a chapter covers your area and is taking applications.
2. Fill out the form for each child who needs a bed.
3. Watch for a confirmation email and keep your application ID. If you move or change numbers, use the update link in that email.

SHP does not publish a standard wait time, and beds are built as supplies and donations allow. If no chapter serves your area, move on to the furniture bank and charity options below while you wait.

Furniture banks and how referrals work

A furniture bank collects donated furniture and gives it to people moving out of homelessness, leaving a shelter, recovering from a disaster, or setting up a home on a tight budget. Beds, frames, dressers, and tables are among the most requested items.

The Furniture Bank Network connects 184 furniture banks and reuse charities across the United States and Canada. Use its find a furniture bank directory to look up your city, then contact the bank directly about its referral process.

Most furniture banks do not take walk-ins. They work through referrals from partner agencies, such as:

• Case managers at shelters, housing programs, and refugee resettlement agencies.
• Social workers at hospitals, schools, or child welfare offices.
• Veterans service officers and VA housing programs.
• Domestic violence programs.

Some furniture banks charge a small delivery or service fee, while others are fully free. Policies vary, so ask before you schedule. If a fee is a barrier, ask whether your referring agency can cover it. Our guide to furniture grants for low-income families explains other ways to cover furniture costs.

Charities, churches, and thrift store vouchers

Local charities often help with beds even when they do not advertise it. Ask each of these directly:

• The Salvation Army. Many locations give vouchers for their family stores, which can be used toward furniture, bedding, and sometimes beds. Some corps also run direct furniture help after a fire or move. Find yours with the Salvation Army location finder. Our page on Salvation Army furniture vouchers explains how vouchers usually work.
• St. Vincent de Paul. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA reports more than 81,000 members in over 4,000 local groups called conferences. Volunteers make home visits and many councils run thrift stores. See how St. Vincent de Paul helps, then contact a nearby Catholic parish to reach your local conference.
• Churches and mutual aid groups. Congregations often know members who are giving away a bed frame or will pay for one. Ask the church office, even if you are not a member.
• Buy Nothing and freecycle groups. Neighbors give away beds regularly. Inspect them carefully before you accept (see the bed bug section below).
• School social workers. They often know local programs and can write the referral SHP or a furniture bank may need.

How do I get a free crib for my baby?

Babies need a different kind of bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics says babies up to 1 year should sleep on their back, on a firm, flat surface, in their own crib or bassinet. It recommends against bed sharing under any circumstances, including with twins.

Cribs for Kids is a national nonprofit whose mission includes giving portable cribs to families who cannot otherwise afford a safe place for their babies to sleep. Cribs are handed out through local partners, such as hospitals, health departments, and family service agencies. Use its find a crib page to look for a partner near you. Eligibility is set by each partner, and many pair the crib with a short safe sleep class.

Other places to ask about a free crib or portable play yard:

• Your WIC clinic or local health department.
• The hospital where you deliver, especially the social work office.
• Home visiting programs for new parents.
• Pregnancy resource centers and diaper banks.

Safe sleep basics from the AAP

• Place your baby on their back for every nap and at night.
• Use a firm mattress that does not dent when the baby lies on it.
• Keep pillows, blankets, bumpers, and soft toys out of the sleep area.
• Do not use any surface that tilts more than 10 degrees.
• Share a room, not a bed, for at least the first 6 months.

Avoid used cribs with missing parts, drop sides, or a gap between the mattress and frame. Read the full AAP parent’s guide to safe sleep. For more baby gear, see our baby resources for low-income families guide.

Hospital beds through Medicare and Medicaid

If someone in your family needs a bed for medical reasons, such as after surgery or because of a condition that makes it hard to change positions, health coverage may pay for a hospital bed at home.

Medicare

According to Medicare.gov, Part B may cover a hospital bed as durable medical equipment when it is medically necessary and your provider prescribes it for use in your home. After the Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026, you generally pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount if the supplier accepts assignment. Medicare only pays suppliers enrolled in Medicare, so ask before you order. For rentals, the supplier must accept assignment for every rental month, or you could be asked to pay the full cost and wait for reimbursement.

Medicaid

Medicaid also covers medically necessary equipment in every state, but rules, prior approval, and covered items differ. Ask the doctor to send the order to a supplier that takes your Medicaid plan. You can read about Medicaid’s benefits on Medicaid.gov, then call your state Medicaid office or managed care plan for the specific rules.

Loan closets

Many churches, senior centers, and disability groups run medical equipment loan closets that lend hospital beds and other gear for free. 211 or your local Area Agency on Aging can point you to one.

Options compared by need

This table sums up the main sources of free beds and what to expect from each.

Checking used beds for bed bugs

Donated beds are a lifeline, but a used bed can bring bed bugs home. The EPA says to check secondhand furniture, beds, and couches for signs of bed bugs before bringing them inside.

Look along mattress seams, tags, and the corners of box springs and wooden frames. Signs include tiny dark spots, rusty stains, shed skins, or live bugs about the size of an apple seed. The EPA also suggests a protective cover that fully encases the mattress and box spring, ideally light-colored so bugs are easier to spot.

The EPA says bed bugs have not been shown to spread disease, but bites can cause allergic reactions and skin infections from scratching, and an infestation can cost sleep and money. Metal frames are easier to inspect than wooden ones. Furniture banks usually inspect donations, but it is still worth checking yourself.

Beds after a fire, move, or emergency

If you lost your beds in a house fire, flood, or eviction, tell every agency that it is an emergency. Disaster caseworkers can often refer you straight to a furniture bank, and some Salvation Army and Red Cross offices give vouchers for bedding and beds after a fire. Renters insurance, if you have it, may pay to replace beds; call your insurer before you buy anything.

Families leaving a shelter or moving into new housing should ask their housing case manager about move-in furniture. Many programs set aside funds or have furniture bank partnerships for exactly this.

Be careful with offers of free beds on social media that ask for a shipping fee, a gift card, or your bank details. Real charities do not ask for payment that way.

Getting a bed, step by step

1. Decide who needs a bed: a child, an adult, a baby, or someone with a medical need.
2. For a child 3 to 17, apply on the Sleep in Heavenly Peace form.
3. Dial 211 to find furniture banks and agencies that can give a referral.
4. Call your local Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul and ask about beds or store vouchers.
5. For a baby, contact a Cribs for Kids partner, WIC, or your hospital.
6. For a medical bed, ask the doctor for an order and use a supplier enrolled with Medicare or your Medicaid plan.
7. Inspect any used bed for bed bugs before it comes inside.

Related guides

• Free furniture for low-income families in Dallas, TX
• Free baby stuff for low-income families
• Government assistance for house fire victims
• Emergency shelters for women and children

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Each charity sets its own rules, service areas, and waiting lists. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any charity named here or any government agency.