Four years ago I came to know of Furniture Sharehouse through an article in the local paper…where unwanted, unneeded furniture in good condition was  collected, then re-distributed free, to local residents in need.

Victims of fire or floods, displaced seniors and veterans, families moving into more permanent housing were some of their clients.

Working retail at the time, it was a great referral for clients who were buying things, and were looking for a place to donate what they no longer wanted/needed, but they knew would be of value to someone else.

Shortly thereafter, I launched the refreshed home, so with a more flexible schedule, I was able to get involved.  Since then, Furniture Sharehouse has become near and dear to my heart. 

Here is a video that was created 2-1/2 years ago by award-winning Mamaroneck journalist  Polly Kriesman  as part of a pitch for a PBS series. (PBS ultimately passed, their loss but our gain, thank you Polly!) And ohyes, current tally shows Furniture Sharehouse has now helped furnish 1400 Westchester families, with furniture worth over $1.6M…

As you might imagine, the basics are always in demand: sofas, kitchen tables and chairs, dressers and BEDS. From week to week, it’s never known what will be donated, until we get that call or email, so we scramble…while we can usually meet most clients’ needs, sometimes we just don’t have what they need.

Today, our collective hearts were full with joy.

Thanks to a grant from the United Way,  shipping and storage services from Connie Levene and John Levene of CONRI Services,  and the good folks at Tempur-pedic, over 100 sets of bedding were donated to Furniture Sharehouse.

News12   covered the event, and at the end of the day, the Mannings’ kids will be sleeping in real mattresses.

Evoking Maslow’s Hirearchy of Needs, I have seem the good that can happen, once the basics of someone’s home are met.  

Find out more, www.furnituresharehouse.org, and tell your friends.