In the days before the holidays, we at Houston Furniture Bank had the privilege of helping a grandmother and grandson who had been living in a shelter. While there, the young boy always kept with him a favorite toy dinosaur to keep him company. Today, he has his own bed in his own home, safe with his grandmother. On that bed, thanks to a bedding drive that Laura U Interior Design led to benefit Houston Furniture Bank, he has not just dinosaur sheets and a dinosaur comforter, but also a very special dinosaur blanket that you can wear as a cape.
Families who visit Houston Furniture Bank are affected by many challenges: natural disasters, poverty, domestic violence, mental or physical health concerns. Houston Furniture Bank’s Furniture Distribution Center provides essential furniture to families who are transitioning to more stable situations. In addition to many other essential furniture items, Houston Furniture Bank’s “No Kids on the Floor” initiative is devoted to making sure that children in our community have a comfortable place to get a good night’s sleep. With the help of donations from the community, we are manufacturing twin mattresses and providing them to families. Thanks to Laura U Interior Design and everyone who contributed to the donation drive, children whose families visit Houston Furniture Bank will also have blankets, sheets, pillows, and stuffed animals.
Drop-off sites for the drive were designated at Laura U Interior Design, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and MM lighting. The response to the call was truly overwhelming. During the weeks leading up to the holiday break, interior design professionals, vendors and clients cheerfully delivered their contributions. The donation boxes were soon overflowing with stuffed animals, sheets with adorable prints, and cozy blankets. “Seeing the fantastic response we received in the community was so rewarding!” said Melissa Grove of Laura U Interior Design.
So many items were donated that Houston Furniture Bank was treated to multiple visits from the Laura U team, who filled four cars with their bounty. The beautiful new bedding was placed in the Furniture Distribution Center for families to select for their children. All together, thanks to the leadership of Laura U, the interior design community donated the following items:
96 sheet sets
54 stuffed animals
42 pillows
36 comforters
34 blankets
The parents and caretakers we’ve met have been touched to be able to give their children something special of their own. We got to watch kids pick out their own special sheets and blankets and toys: a stuffed fox, an elephant blanket, or plain sheets for a discerning teenager. Every child deserves a safe and comfortable place to sleep, and we are grateful to the community members who help us help families who are building their lives together.
We thank Laura U, MM Lighting, ASID and their many friends for making this possible. At Houston Furniture Bank, it is a great privilege to spend our days doing good in the world alongside our community. We couldn’t say it better than Laura: “We are so proud of all of our hard work this season, and look forward to making the drive better and better for years to come.”
