New Life Furniture Bank

Who We Are: New Life Furniture Bank is a faith-based non-profit located in Blue Ash, Ohio, serving the Greater Cincinnati area. The region’s only nationally-registered furniture bank, we collect gently used furniture (mattresses/beds, dressers, tables, chairs, sofas, lamps) from people throughout Greater Cincinnati, inspect and clean it, then deliver the items directly to the homes of families in extreme need. Originally a small ministry of Milford First United Methodist Church founded in 2006, the organization gained 501(C)3 status in 2009. More than a decade later, New Life Furniture Bank partners with over 50 social service agencies to help end the cycle of homelessness.

What We Do: A “furniture bank” works a lot like a food bank – only instead of food, we collect donations of gently used furniture and provide it to those in need. We deliver up to 18 items, furnishing empty houses of individuals and families overcoming homelessness, escaping domestic abuse, aging out of foster care, or rebuilding after disasters and extreme poverty. Having a furnished space restores dignity, brings pride of ownership,adds confidence,and allows people to stabilize while working toward self-sufficiency. We help get children sleeping on floors into warm, safe beds. For those who have lost everything or have nothing, we turn empty houses into homes.

Why We’re Important: Imagine your children sleeping and eating on cold, bare floors day after day and night after night. This is the harsh reality for thousands of low-income families escaping poverty in Greater Cincinnati. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cincinnati’s child poverty rate is one of the highest in the nation, and the city is consistently ranked in the top poorest cities in our country with a poverty rate almost twice the state’s average. Our goal is for all Greater Cincinnati families to live in furnished homes, relieving suffering, strengthening family units, improving quality of life, and building a better community.

How We Serve the Community: We believe in the healing power of giving and receiving to empower communities to come together and support our most vulnerable populations. In 2020, we delivered 15,812 pieces of furniture to 1,071 households. Those households consisted of 1,930 individuals and nearly 50% were households with children under the age of 18. Speaking of children, we delivered a record 1,318 beds, which helped those children move from the floor into a warm bed! The families we serve are the "poorest of the poor'' and 83% reported earning less than $12,000 annually. So when you donate, you can be assured you are helping people with great need. Not to mention you are recycling and helping prevent the more than 15,000 items we collected from ending up in landfills.

How You Can Help: Our 2021 goal is to furnish more than 1,500 households! There are several ways you can help

DONATE FURNITURE: Consider donating gently used items, including: • Clean mattresses, box springs, and frames • Nightstands, dressers, desks, chairs, end tables, coffee tables, small sofas, recliners • Floor & table lamps, blankets, linens, towels, new pillows, and toiletries • Small appliances such as microwaves, coffee makers, toasters, dishes, silverware, cookware, utensils

CONTRIBUTE FUNDING: Your donation helps extend our reach and fuel our mission. One of the most important ways we invest monetary donations is in purchasing mattresses.

VOLUNTEER AS A TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL: • Sort, Pack Household Donations • Build/Repair/Deliver Furniture • Serve on Board and Event Committees

New Life Furniture Bank 11335 Reed Hartman Highway, Ste. 134, Cincinnati, OH 45241 513-313-0530 nlfurniture.org Facebook@cincyfurniturebank Instagram@cincyfurniturebank YouTube@newlifefurniture Twitter@nlfbank

Executive Director: Dana Saxton Email: dana@nlfurniture.org

Board Chair: Don Lane, Board President

Board Members: Marge Putman, Board Vice President Michael Menichetti, Board Treasurer Kristen Elia, Board Secretary