Published by Veronica Zaretski
Providing stability for her school-aged children
Back-to-school is a stressful time for any family but imagine not being able to provide even a desk, kitchen table or bed for your children? Unfortunately, this was a situation that Kristina found herself in before arriving at Furniture Bank. A victim of domestic abuse, Kristina was looking to re-establish herself in the west end of the Greater Toronto Area and felt immense pressure with her son’s first day of school on the immediate horizon.
Kristina soon found stability after arriving at Furniture Bank from a shelter agency. Perhaps the first sign that things were going to turn around was when she saw her children playfully snuggle and laugh as they tried out sofas in the Furniture Bank showroom. Before long, the family no longer had to dine and sleep on the floor, as they were able to outfit their apartment fully with beds, a dining table and a television from Furniture Bank.
Kristina’s son is now excelling at his new school and her daughter is eager for her first day as well. And Kristina herself? She is buoyed and grateful with a new found sense of security that she has never known before.
*To protect her safety, we have changed Kristina’s name and not included her photo.