My Lesson on Furnishing Futures
When the Furnishing Futures tagline was created at the end of 2011, it struck a chord with me, however, I didn’t realize until yesterday that I actually never understood what the true meaning of those two words were.
After many months of volunteering and working with Beds for Kids, I finally was able to make a trip with Brandon & Dennis to go serve some of our clients yesterday. It was such an emotional and profound afternoon for me. I met a couple that greeted us on a stairwell with excitement and smiles. We began to start unloading the truck and bringing the items up the stairwell, when I entered their home, I noticed that their house was empty. As the unpacking and moving went forward, through conversations with the couple, I learned they had 5 daughters between the ages of 3 & 7. We talked about the children and their personalities and I learned rather quickly that the little 3 year old had the run of the house. We were able to share a few laughs, a few pictures and a few moments of personal insight into their lives. As we put the children’s beds together and re-arranged furniture within the house, the parents were so grateful and filled with such joy, laughter and pride for their children. At that moment, I didn’t feel like we were serving clients in need, I felt we were helping close friends & family.
I walked away from there realizing that we are helping furnish futures by providing furniture to those in need, but that these families are helping furnish futures as well by showing us love, support and hope when times are difficult. The children started with a house full of love, we provided a house full of furniture and now God will provide a future full of optimism. To me, Beds for Kids isn’t just furnishing futures to those in need of furniture items, but to all of us no matter which side of the spectrum we fall into.
-Amanda Ross
LOVE Week
On Saturday February 11th, we had 60+ volunteers from 7 different churches come and spend the day here at the Beds for Kids warehouse. There was so much love, faith and inspiration in our warehouse that day, it was truly amazing! The volunteers helped with tasks such as delivering furniture to children and families in need, picking up donations from the community, prepping furniture for future deliveries, upholstering chairs, building a wood-working station, spreading mulch, sanding chairs and bunk beds to painting walls. We wanted to share some of the pictures from that day with you.
If you missed out, there is another opportunity to serve with LOVE week here at Beds for Kids this Saturday, February 18th 2012 from 9am to 12pm. Don’t forget to sign up..we look forward to seeing you at the warehouse.
To all the LOVE week volunteers, we honestly can’t say THANK YOU enough for all you did to help the children and families in need in Charlotte!!
A Year in Review
It is hard to believe that it has already been a year! The last 12 months have provided many new and life changing moments. As I write this I am looking out in to a warehouse filled with furniture that will change lives in the next few weeks. We have been blessed to have hundreds of volunteers and donors supply us with the necessary items to fill 103 homes with hope and a brighter future. There have been many unforgettable days that have changed the way we view our calling.
Below are the top 10 milestones of 2011:
1. Forming the partnership with Ashley Furniture HomeStores in the Charlotte area.
2. Receiving a donation from a 7 year old girl after she raised $178 dollars from her hot chocolate stand for Beds for Kids.
3. Moving into an 11,000 square foot warehouse donated free of cost.
4. Having 50 volunteers from Charlotte ONE come serve in the warehouse one Saturday.
5. Receiving the donation from Davidson college of 24+ apartments of furniture.
6. The donation of a 18ft box truck.
7. Receiving a $25,000 matching gift.
8. Having someone who received a bed from us come and serve to help other families.
9. Seeing the TV commercial for the 1st time on ABC.
10. Being able to give out over 268 beds to children and their families.
We Have Been Selected
Luquire George Andrews has selected five Charlotte-area nonprofits through an RFP process to receive free advertising, digital, public relations, social media and creative services during the agency’s third annual Goodstock™, a 24-hour pro bono marketing marathon being held Thursday, Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 11 at LGA’s offices. Over the past two years, LGA has donated more than $500,000 worth of pro bono services to 15 area nonprofits during Goodstock.
We honestly can’t thank LGA enough for selecting Beds for Kids. We are so excited to begin this creative working relationship with such an amazing company.
Please visit http://lgaadv.com/ to read the official press release from LGA and to view the other lucky non-profits who were selected as well.
Great things to come from this……
Ashley Furniture Homestore Partnership
Beds for Kids has partnered with Ashley Furniture Homestore!
Stay tuned to WSOC TV Channel 9 News, our friends at Ashley Furniture have graciously sponsored a PSA announcement for our organization!
When you are in an Ashley Furniture Homestore, look for our banners…a portion of every mattress sale benefits Beds for Kids!
We also have the support from Carolina Panthers Running Back, DeAngelo Williams:
A big THANK YOU to Ashley Furniture Homestore for all they have done for us and continue to do for our organization!
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