Ariel is a single mom who had her children taken away because she was homeless. With the help of an agency, she was able to secure housing, but still needed to be able to provide furniture before her children could join her. Ariel was referred to Furniture for Families so she could get the furniture needed to be able to complete the reunification process. Ariel and her children had quite the journey as they transitioned out of homelessness, and it was nice to hear we were able to make that journey a little easier for Ariel when she said to us, “The application process was quick and easy. Using a video call made picking out the furniture so easy and the delivery was right on time.”

When you don’t have the resources to purchase the furniture needed to make your house a home, it can be very stressful. When you’re fighting for custody of your child, and you’re told you need to have a bed, dresser, and furniture in the home as part of the custody process, it can leave you feeling hopeless. We love that we’re able to help parents like Javier furnish their home. When Javier complimented us by saying, “You made the process of picking out furniture so easy and the delivery truck actually arrived early which was perfect. Because of you I have been able to bring my daughter home”, it felt good knowing our donors and employees had a part in helping bring them together.

Unfortunately, children sometimes lose their parents. When Victoria’s brother and sister-in-law passed away, her two young nephews became orphans. Victoria applied to adopt her nephews, but in order to adopt them, she needed to be able to provide beds for each of the boys. Victoria was referred to our Beds for Kids program, and we were able to help her receive the beds needed for the adoption process. Just hearing Victoria say, “Thanks to the Beds for Kids program, I was able to provide them with what they needed to become a part of my home” warms our hearts that we were able to help.

On December 19, 2020, a counselor from an elementary school in Brooklyn, called and told us one of their fourth grade teachers was asking students what they wanted for Christmas. A student named Davia replied, “All I want is a bed. I don’t have one.” The counselor learned Davia’s mom recently moved them out of their house due to an abusive environment. They moved in with Davia’s grandparents, but there was no bed available for her. Fortunately, Cleveland Furniture Bank was able to provide and deliver Davia a new bed with a mattress and box spring, just in time for Christmas. Davia was so happy when she saw her new bed and her mother was thankful that her daughter could again have a safe, comfortable place to sleep.

Cleveland Furniture Bank Thrift Store closed to the public for 7 weeks in 2020, due to the COVID 19 Pandemic. While we were closed, our employees were able to make some significant changes to the way merchandise was displayed on the sales floor. After reopening, one of our customers Steven stated, “I am overwhelmed and impressed. Your staff are the best - very helpful, polite and downright nice – a rarity these days. Your store is beautiful, neat, well organized, and very clean. You should be proud.”

Our employees put a lot of effort into the cleanliness and appearance of our thrift store. When a customer introduces themselves and says, “My name is Debra. Every time I come into the Cleveland Furniture Bank I’m greeted with a smile, and the store is always neat, orderly, and it doesn’t smell. Thank you for your hospitality”, we beam with pride! Here at CFB, we are so grateful that the efforts of the employees are noticed and our customers have a great shopping experience.