FURNISH A FUTURE

We all know that having a home creates a sense of stability, well-being, and independence. It’s our personal space; a place for peace and security, and a gathering point where important relationships are forged and nurtured. 

Home means family dinners around the kitchen table, mom cuddling up with her son on the sofa on a cold winter night, kids doing their homework at a desk in their own room.

Families leaving city shelters for their own apartments can’t usually experience these simple but important joys because they have little to no furnishings to call their own. That is, unless they come to Furnish a Future, the only program in New York City that provides formerly homeless families leaving city shelters with furniture and household goods for free.

Families from all five boroughs can visit our warehouse in Bushwick, Brooklyn and choose furniture for every room of their new apartments. They can also select linens and kitchen items; everything is delivered to their homes the next day, also free of charge.

With their own personal furnishings, formerly homeless families can design their homes to their liking, creating a much-needed sense of ownership. This past year, Furnish a Future provided furnishings to almost 1,900 households, including over 6,500 parents and children.

Of course, families transitioning out of city shelters have obstacles ahead that cribs, dressers, and sofas can’t begin to address. So when a family visits us to find furniture, we also direct them to the many other services available through the Partnership.

A client advocate connects them, as needed, to child-care options, legal assistance, education and healthcare information, and more. The advocate links them to community-based organizations and faith-based institutions so that as they settle into their new home, they can also become part of their new neighborhood.

Furnish a Future is always in need of new or gently-used furnishings for newly housed families. Email furniture@pfth.org for information on how to make a tax-deductible donation.