Too Many Children Sleep on the Floor
It is a sad truth that an estimated 50,000+ Torontonians are experiencing furniture poverty annually. Furniture Bank supports marginalized and displaced families and individuals experiencing furniture poverty. Clients; including women and children leaving shelters, people transitioning from homelessness, and newcomers and refugees to Canada are in need of your help. Help us combat furniture poverty annually by making a generous donation.
About Furniture Bank
Working to end furniture poverty – one family at a time.
Your gifts; our mission
Founded in 1998, Furniture Bank is a registered charity and social enterprise which redistributes gently-used furniture and housewares from donors in the community to families and individuals experiencing furniture poverty.
Our clients include women and children leaving shelters, the formerly homeless, and newcomers and refugees to Canada.
Revenues generated through our furniture removal service, which is run as a social enterprise, funds our charitable activities as we work to end furniture poverty – one sofa and one family at a time.
Our vision is a world in which everyone has access to a furnished home.
Who your donations support
Meet your neighbors in the community.
Furniture Bank supports marginalized and displaced families and individuals experiencing furniture poverty.
Clients – including women and children leaving shelters, people transitioning from homelessness, and newcomers and refugees to Canada – are referred to us by over 90 community agency partners.
For our clients, furniture has a profound impact on their quality of life:
- Decreased likelihood of re-experiencing displacement or homelessness.
- Improved physical and mental health.
- Improved financial stability by freeing up funds for other essential items.
- Increase ability and likelihood to participate in and contribute to the community and improved relationships with family and friends.
Programs your gifts support
See what we do with your generous donations and meet some of the people you have helped.
Leg Up social employment
Furniture Bank’s Leg Up social hire program works with employment agencies and partners to provide work experience, life & skills training, and meaningful job opportunities to youth, newcomers to Canada and other individuals facing barriers to employment.
Every year, participants are employed across Furniture Bank’s operations, including our furniture warehouse, on our pickup & delivery trucks, in our call centre, or as administrative support, or transition successfully to other jobs in various industries.
Hear from one of our employees on their Leg-Up experience:
Before Furniture Bank I had held many jobs, from management positions to general labour, security to dishwashing. Because I could not afford to pursue formal post-secondary education after high school, my career options were limited despite having plenty of work experience.
I first came to Furniture Bank as an unemployed volunteer at a crossroads in my life. From there, I worked my way up through the organization from warehouse associate to driver (crew leader), to my current role as fleet manager. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that Furniture Bank has given me by investing in my work ethic rather than my history, and providing me with the tools to develop career skills.
It has been very rewarding being able to experience and contribute to the front line of client interaction, delivering to people in need and picking up donations from people who want to help. Being able to do that while being a part of an organization that is learning and growing has been nothing short of inspiring!
– Tom Bendo, Leg-Up Participant
Furniture repair workshop
With a bit of creativity and care, our Workshop team and volunteers rescue, repair and refurbish lightly-damaged items that would otherwise end up in landfill, and make them available to clients. It’s a triple win for the organization, our clients and the environment.
Our clients include women and children leaving shelters, the formerly homeless, and newcomers and refugees to Canada.
Revenues generated through our furniture removal service, which is run as a social enterprise, funds our charitable activities as we work to end furniture poverty – one sofa and one family at a time.
Our vision is a world in which everyone has access to a furnished home.
Furniture Upcycle Studio
Giving preloved furniture a second life.
Through The Studio – which operates as a social enterprise within Furniture Bank – we give a second life to damaged items or pieces less suitable for clients in small spaces who typically seek more functional furniture.
Armed with a brush, and incredible talent, our master painter reimagines their potential. The pieces are sold through consignment, to interior designers, and the public.
The Studio also does work on commission for some of Toronto’s high-end furniture stores.
Revenues from The Studio are reinvested into the organization.
Furniture Bank Learning Centre
Our charitable objects include an intentional goal of cooperating with other organizations who have goals similar to Furniture Bank. So beyond our own goals of engaging in and promoting social impact and environmental research, is the publication and education of this with respect to the causes of and solutions to poverty.
Over the last five years – we have had over 30 communities approach Furniture Bank for help in learning, understanding, expanding, and inspiring more intentional furniture programs across North America.
The Learning Centre Program is online educational site aimed at supporting social innovation and social replication of furniture bank model into other communities – with or without our direct involvement.
