Millions of Canadians live with mental illness. For those with few supports, the effects can be devastating.
After experiencing a brief psychotic episode five years ago, Sharyn lost custody of her four children. Her life was forever-changed.
Sharyn’s story, which was captured as part of our House to Home program, highlights the transformative power of furniture.
Sharyn currently shares a small apartment with her eldest child and grandchild, who recently moved back from Alberta. The few furnishings she had were inadequate, especially for a home with a young child. Sharyn has worked hard to heal herself. She excels at her job, winning awards for her work. But at minimum wage, she struggled to provide for life’s bare necessities – let alone the ‘luxury’ of furniture. Without dressers in which to store their clothing and belongings, Sharyn and her daughter used suitcases, cardboard boxes and garbage bags for storage. Unlike so many others who experience furniture poverty, they were among the lucky who had a mattress on which to sleep. Through CAMH’s Gifts of Light program, Sharyn received the gift of furniture and housewares for her entire home. Grateful for the support, Sharyn’s excitement was accompanied by tears of joy – and a profound sense of relief. Sharyn – Furniture Bank Client” My house looked so poor. I didn’t want people to judge me because I’m trying to put myself back together. Having this gift of furniture has really given me a boost in life. I can now focus on other aspects of my life that I need to rebuild. Without this generous donation, my daughter and I would have had to sacrifice our basic necessities in order to afford furniture. Every day I come home, I’m still in awe of how wonderful my apartment looks. I greatly appreciate everything Furniture Bank and everyone did to give me a home that I could be proud of. Want to help more families like Sharyn’s? It costs Furniture Bank $250 to deliver furniture to family. Make a financial donation today and help more families like Sharyn’s live with the dignity, comfort, and stability of a furnished home.
