Weeping?

Last week I assisted with checking our clients in. Essentially, the process involves verifying someones voucher and then going over a list of all the furniture items they will receive during their visit to the Furniture Bank.

As I rattled off the normal spiel, "Your case manager has indicated that you could use a sofa, a love seat or two easy chairs, a mattress and box spring," the list continued...

"Oh my gosh," the woman retorted in shock.

"What?" I said bewildered, prepared for her to argue about something that she wanted that I had not said she could have.

"I didn't realize I was going to get so much," tears began to roll down her face. "I just moved and this is all happening very quickly."

As she talked she revealed that she and her child are coming out of a domestic abuse situation. Several months ago she entered a shelter and worked diligently, followed the rules and the program leaders noticed. After a short time in the program Ms. Weeping was offered an apartment, which is payed for by the shelter program. She accepted and two days later was at the Furniture Bank to receive furniture.

"I'm just so thankful," she repeated over and over.

Ms. Weeping is the reason the Furniture Bank exists. She and countless others like her are the reason, Lonnie, David, Megan, Drew, Barry and I come to work each day. She continued to share that it is hard for her to be away from her abuser because she loves him but knows that she and her child don't deserve to be treated like that. She hopes to keep working hard so she can own her own home one day.