Kind 5-year-old boy asks for bedding for his birthday, donates to dozens of kids in need

Adults really can learn a thing or two from kids. Recently, five-year-old Tyler Sliz Libertyville, Illinois, decided to do something incredibly sweet for his birthday. Instead of demanding a new toy, he asked his friends and family members to give him some bedding. No, this isn't so he could make the best blanket fort ever, but so he could donate all his "gifts" to children in need. Working in collaboration with an organization called Sleep in Heavenly Peace, little Tyler and his parents were able to help dozens of children sleep comfortably, CNN reports. Moving forward, he hopes to help even more children in need.

The Sliz family first learned of Sleep in Heavenly Peace through their church, St. Joseph Catholic Church. The organization builds, assembles, and delivers beds to children who need them. Tyler initially wanted to help build beds, but because he is so young, the organization did not allow him to do so. "[Building beds] was something Tyler was wanting to do because he really likes carpentry work and working on projects with his dad," Tyler's mom Jackie said in an interview with CNN. "But to build the beds, you have to be 12 years old. Therefore, he hatched a genius plan. For his fifth birthday party, which took place in October last year, he asked all the guests his family had invited to bring bedding. He even issued a strict warning against bringing any other gifts. His mom Jackie explained, "He told all of the guests that if they brought anything else, he wouldn't play with it." Talk about strict instructions.

When the big day came around, family and friends arrived at the party with bags of blankets, pillows, and sheets in tow. According to his mom, two guests chose to hand Tyler money, but he just used that to purchase more bedding rather than spending it on himself. The idea was a huge hit, so much so, that it has grown immensely. News of the five-year-old's generosity traveled far and wide and eventually reached Illinois Representative Mary Edly-Allen. She donated a pretty sizeable amount to Tyler's efforts, helping him purchase even more bedding. Ever since his birthday, Tyler has managed to donate a whopping total of 125 pieces of bedding to Sleep in Heavenly Peace. However, he doesn't plan to stop there. More checks and donations just keep pouring in.

In addition to this, the whole Sliz family has gotten involved. In October, four generations of Sliz family members banded together in order to participate in a build day with Sleep in Heavenly Peace — and they all had a blast. His father Brad stated, "Jackie and I got to sand down a bunch of raw lumber. Tyler helped assemble the bolt bags with his grandparents and his great-grandmother. That was fun." But it wasn't just fun; everything Tyler and his family are doing to help the organization has made a positive impact. "[Tyler] is just a ray of joy," said Dan Harris, the co-president of the Libertyville chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. "Everybody in the chapter loves hearing about Tyler and seeing him drop off the bedding."

Harris also explained why their contributions are so valuable. Harris stated, "The one place kids go for refuge is their bed. Parents have to sometimes choose between having food on their table or heating their homes or having a bed. So we make it easier for children to have a bed and we give the child something of their own." Though Tyler already surpassed his goal of collecting 100 pieces of bedding, he doesn't plan to stop until he has "a whole houseful" of donations, the altruistic five-year-old affirmed.