Print and take this coupon to DaVinci's Pizzeria from now until Dec., 6 and 25% of sales will go the Furniture Bank to help our clients. DaVinci's is located at 1810 Spring Road, Smyrna 30080.

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.

Mattresses

The 400 mattresses donated for flood victims are starting to leave the warehouse. Whew! Above two Furniture Bank volunteers, Scott Perrin and Simon Shirley, help a couple recently displaced because of the September floods, load their free mattress.

Weeks ago when the Furniture Bank received the 3 semi trucks full of mattresses, we weren't quite sure where to put them. With the rows of sofas, large and small wood pieces, dining room tables and chairs, where were we supposed to squeeze them? After many hours of mattresses streaming through the bay doors, we finally had them stacked and leaning in every available corner of the warehouse. We've moved around them, shifted them and overlooked them for a few weeks.

Last week when our first appointments to receive mattresses arrived we were delighted! I was also particularly thankful for the volunteers that took time out of their day to help the flood victims get mattresses out of our warehouse and into people's trucks. The thought of moving a large amount of mattresses again, was not a pleasant one.

The Furniture Bank is receiving referrals from The American Red Cross and Salvation Army for individuals that need mattresses because of flood damage.

Though the Furniture Bank does not normally provide flood assistance, we are glad we are here to help with our regular clients, people who are moving out of homelessness, living with HIV/AIDS or fleeing domestic violence situations, and people that find themselves in unique and difficult life situations like the September floods.

Elbert and the Laptop

It's been several weeks since I've blogged about Elbert. That's not to say that there has been any shortage of exciting activity around here.

Today, I sit just inches away from Elbert as he diligently calls different places to secure an Intel Pentimum...yes Pentimum not Pentium computer. I don't think that's even a brand of computer. This morning he came in and sat at his usual station by the phone and only a few strides from the coffee maker, and begin questioning David about getting a laptop.

We repeatedly tried to explain that despite the $200.00 deal Elbert found, getting a laptop would not be very helpful to him. He doesn't have internet connection, he doesn't have a house where they can wire connection and yet he is still adamant about getting the laptop.

"Elbert, you know you can use the computer and internet at the public library for free," I said.

"Well, but they have a time limit on how long you can use the computer and I think I'll save more money if I just get my own," he groans.

I have a hard time suspending judgment on this one. Though I realize that it's not my life or situation. I just can't help but think the winter is coming on and he's sleeping outside. Wouldn't you want to save the little income you have for a warm place to sleep on the incredibly cold nights?

Last month Elbert purchased a car. We were all excited for him. He would cruise around the parking lot, using the heat on the cold days. And then one day he came in, head hanging, "Well, my car broke down." long pause. "It had a busted engine on it."

I'm not sure how much Elbert paid for the car, but when he sold he it only got $80.00 out of it. He immediately started talking about getting another one.

Priorities.

Oh My It's Been a Month

I can't believe it's been a month since I've blogged. Clearly, there is a lot going on at the Furniture Bank. After this quick update, you'll see why it's been so long.

1. We received the 400 mattresses that Buckhead Church generously donated the money for us to purchase. What a day of unloading that was. We've been unable to use a whole section of our warehouse because it's packed full of new mattresses, waiting for homes. During the first week of November, we will begin distributing the mattresses. We are excited to have the opportunity to help folks that we usually wouldn't be able to help.

2. Baby Central - Megan, our Executive Director, recently had her second child. Both mom and baby are healthy. David, our Donations Coordinator, just this week had his second child as well. All are healthy. During this time of transition and change in their lives, it makes me ask..."How do we do it?" Like most work places, when someone is absent others in the office take on some additional responsibilities. As I've taken on different tasks, I am amazed at all that each person does. For the last two days, I've been coordinating donations and everyday I've said "I don't know how David does this!" On the one hand it's such a blessing that so many people want to donate. On the other, I don't know how he keeps up with the calls, scheduling, and responding to people in a timely manner. In the middle of all that he coordinates the truck drivers, deliveries, helps Elbert, and responds to so many other random things that just pop-up and require his attention. It's amazing.

The same is true of Megan. She wears so many hats, caseworker, fundraiser, event coordinator, committee director, office manager, accountant, the list goes on and on.

My jaw drops to you both. I haven't had to take on all of Lonnie's job, but when the time comes...you'll hear about another amazing person. I am incredibly thankful for this small office staff of four and our donation crew of two.

We might have a shabby office with dingy floors and streaky paint. You may freeze or sweat to death, depending on the season, when you work in our warehouse, but we all must love something about working here or the mission of this place to keep working so hard.

3. Is the Furniture Bank moving? Hopefully. After several months of Megan searching the Atlanta area for a new warehouse, we think we might have found one. Updates to come soon. The most random part of the warehouse is that there was a ram in the neighbors yard today.

Flowing Generosity

Last week I got an email from one of our partnering churches asking if we were going to be able to assist flood victims and if we needed any volunteers to help. Since our core clients are folks that are moving out of homelessness shelters, living with HIV/AIDS and fleeing domestic violence situations we don't have the funding to assist people outside of that so we'd have no need for volunteers.

But if they gave us the money to help them then we could. Well they did!!! Enough money to provide mattresses to most of the people affected by the flood. The generosity of others is often overwhelming, inspiring, contagious.

David, who is constantly mindful of others needs, says "But what about the families who've been waiting on beds for months. We have 33 people who've already visited the Furniture Bank this year, but we didn't have beds for them when they came. There wasn't enough supply to meet the demand. They've been waiting for months and months to get what they need. "What do we do about them," David says? "I just don't feel right meeting this immediate need and ignoring our core clients."

And that's the heart of the issue folks. People need assistance whether it's flood season, hurricane season, fire season or they are facing the regular hardships of life. The Furniture Bank sees people in desperate need daily, families, children, individuals. We are mindful of natural disasters because images of damage are filling our television screens and radio stations constantly. We have to really search for the other horrors of life, like the fact if all of the homeless youth were in one city, it would be the seventh largest in the US (StandUp for Kids).


Let's not wait for a natural disaster to help those in need. They are around us always.

Appreciation

Last weekend the Furniture Bank hosted the first volunteer appreciation event. It was exciting to think about all the volunteers we've had help us throughout the last year. We've had groups that worked on building projects like building bases for our table tops, groups that have cleaned our warehouse each month, groups that have hosted Furniture Drives, individuals that work one on one with our clients, volunteer on our trucks and volunteers that have completed projects like creating a new brochure for us, among other things. We even recently had someone call us and express interest in developing a database that we've needed for quite sometime.

When I think about all the volunteer hours people have completed I am amazed. As a small non-profit we really couldn't continue what we do without volunteers.

Over the last month we've had to rely on volunteers in a new and essential way. Each day we need at least one volunteer to work on our donation trucks. Since we've had to discontinue two donation crew paid positions it's essential that we get volunteers or else we can't keep collecting enough furniture to serve our clients.

There aren't enough words for the gratitude we have for all the volunteer help we receive.