Talking Tables Help the Homeless

"Changing Lives" is the theme of the ambitious end-of-year fundraising campaign that New Life Furniture Bank of MA (New Life) launched this week – which closely coincides with New Life’s five-year anniversary. The appeal commenced with a kickoff at the furniture bank’s warehouse in Walpole where jarring statistics about homelessness in Massachusetts were shared: children make up 60% of the 13,000 people experiencing family homelessness; the average age of a homeless person in Boston is eight-years-old, and 9,000 high school students in Massachusetts are homeless. Since 2013 New Life has been helping individuals and families in transition, specifically, those coming out of homelessness, including veterans, those escaping domestic abuse, and victims of fires and floods. The non-profit furniture bank provides, at no cost to the individuals, high-quality, gently-used household essentials and furniture, including beds for all family members.

The need for home furnishings continues to increase, and New Life has an aggressive growth plan to serve up to 1,000 families annually by 2021. “To reach this ambitious goal,” says Ron Yates, Co-founder of New Life, “we need to continue to recruit dedicated volunteers, maintain the continuous donation stream of high-quality home furnishings, and fundraise.”

To create awareness around the critical issue of homelessness, New Life will be releasing a series of creative and clever videos starring two “talking tables” - Brenda and Eddie - who invite viewers to consider how donating to the furniture bank can change lives for clients, donors and volunteers alike.

The Changing Lives campaign was officially launched on November 12th with the goal of raising $100,000 by year-end. The funds raised will support New Life’s growth, specifically: serving more households, renting more warehouse space, purchasing more bed sets, purchasing a new box truck, and hiring full- and part-time staff.

“New Life has grown tremendously in our first five years of operation,” said Yates. “We’re an important contributor in the battle against homelessness in Massachusetts, and this campaign is critical to our continued growth.”

Over its five-year lifetime, New Life has gained a reputation across not just the MetroWest area but across eastern Massachusetts as a reliable furniture bank that provides those in need with quality home furnishings from caring volunteers. “Each of our clients has an individual appointment when they come to our warehouse,” continued Yates. “They select their furniture in a low-stress, compassionate setting. It’s important to us that our clients are treated with dignity and respect.”

“In 2013, New Life’s first year of operation, we served 100 households,” said Doug Marshall, Co-founder of New Life. “In 2017, 535 households were served. Next year we hope to raise that number to 675, and in 2021: to 1,000 households. The demand is enormous. We have a lot of work to do, funds to raise, and volunteers to recruit, if we’re going to continue growing and meeting our future clients’ needs. We need the community’s help to reach this goal.”

New Life is extremely grateful for its local volunteers, donors, and supporters. Those interested in volunteering with New Life Furniture Bank of MA or donating home furnishings can go to the website, newlifefb.org for more information. Financial contributions may be made on the website or by check payable to New Life Furniture Bank of MA, sent to P.O. Box 573, Medfield, MA 02052.

# # #