Agency Referrals

Furniture Bank works in partnership with many community agencies and shelters to assist individuals and families to obtain furniture for their new homes. These agencies play a critical role by helping to screen potential furniture recipients. This helps Furniture Bank ensure we maintain our focus on those leaving shelters, abusive situations, or are refugees to Canada.

Registered Agencies log in to eReferral account.

How does an agency get on "the list"?

Some history

• Until recently Furniture Bank was serving clients referred from housing counsellors from over 150 shelters and agencies in the GTA.

• Referral information was sent to Furniture Bank by fax.

• Wait times for appointments to get furniture were unacceptably long, exceeding three months at one point.

Current situation

• On November 3, 2008, Furniture Bank began accepting referrals online through the website.

• We limited our "registered" agencies and shelters to a smaller number based on the volume of referrals to Furniture Bank in the past year. The current agency list gave us 80% of our referrals last year. We shortened our list to ensure wait times for appointment remain reasonable; our target is less than four weeks.

• Furniture Bank asks workers at shelters and agencies who have made bookings for clients in the past year but have not yet been offered a password for electronic bookings for their clients to be patient. The current supply of furniture and household items at Furniture Bank limits adding new agencies to the electronic booking system.

• Faxed referrals are no longer accepted at Furniture Bank. Please do not send any.

• Furniture Bank is monitoring the number of clients booked and the supply of furniture and household items. Staff and volunteers at Furniture Bank remain committed to serve as many individuals and families described in our mission statement as possible but do not want to extend the interval between move date and appointments to more than four weeks.

Going Forward

• We will slowly add additional agencies when supplies of furniture and household items exceed the needs of clients booked.

• If you have referred clients in the past twelve months you are on our wait list.

• If your agency or shelter is one that has not made previous referrals to Furniture Bank we regretfully advise that demand is so high we can not add you to our wait list.

• An increased supply of furniture and household items depends on more donors. Please let your co-workers, family, friends and neighbours know what’s needed at Furniture Bank and how to donate.