Imagine being unexpectedly uprooted from the life you’ve planned for you and your family.
Imagine having to flee your home to escape danger or persecution.
It’s the story shared by so many Furniture Bank clients who come to Canada seeking a new beginning. It is the story of displacement and trauma – but also of resilience and hope.
In addition to supporting marginalized and vulnerable populations in the GTA – including women and children leaving shelters, the formerly homeless, and people experiencing mental health challenges – Furniture Bank helps newcomers and refugees to Canada land on their feet.
Our founding story is, in fact, rooted in Sister Anne’s encounter with a refugee family from Somalia.
Since then, we’ve helped over 27,857 refugees and newcomers create ‘new’ homes – including over 450 Syrian refugees settling in the Greater Toronto Area.
In 2018 alone, 33% of our clients identified as refugees or newcomers.
Meet Sarah, who fled her homeland in fear of her life.
Watch Anoush’s story of escaping war-torn Syria.
Having a furnished home plays a critical role in the resettlement process; as they work to reconstruct their lives in Canada, it allows refugees and newcomers to have a place they can proudly call home with a newfound sense of security and hope.
By receiving free furniture, families living at or below the poverty line are better able to cover the costs of other basic essentials, such as food, transportation, and clothing and to meet school and healthcare needs. Our goal is to remove the burden of families having to choose between ‘putting food on the table’ and having an actual table at which to eat.
We are part of an ecosystem of care supporting newly arrived refugee claimants and newcomers to Canada. Our referring agency partners include:
