The recently published report for the Toronto Enterprise Fund makes it clear: Furniture Bank and our peers in the Toronto social enterprise community have a direct and significant impact on poverty and homelessness reduction. The Toronto Enterprise Fund is an alliance between all levels of government and the third sector, committed to working with social enterprises to offer employment to socially marginalized individuals.
Among other findings, the report states that:
- Participants in the program earned an average of over $450 of additional income per month, empowering them to pay bills, save money and identify financial goals beyond daily survival.
- Participants saw improvements to their housing situation, food security, health and an overall increase in quality of life.
- Participants said they had an increased sense of purpose and an enhanced sense of self-worth and belonging.
- All participants attributed these successes to the unique supports provided by their social enterprises’ accommodated work environments.
The report illustrates clearly the positive role that social enterprises like Furniture Bank play in the economic and social well-being of marginalized and vulnerable populations in Toronto.
Every year we employ over 20 individuals to work in a variety of roles throughout our organization: be it in our furniture warehouse, our call centre, administration or IT. And we are aiming to expand this employment to over 30 in 2015 with the growth of our social enterprise.
So your furniture donation to us not only directly supports individuals who don’t have the means to furnish a home, it indirectly provides employment to others looking for a leg up. Explore how else we have an impact here.
Read the full report here.
