Our Story
Our Story began in 1992…
The Furniture Bank was founded by Oli Mohammed, a then-housing specialist at what is now called the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD. Mohammed was struck by the needs of patients who were able to access housing but did not have any home furnishings. In 1995, this service was extended to other area nonprofits. In 2003, The Furniture Bank became an independent 501c3 nonprofit, continuing the mission of “Making Empty Houses Homes.”
Growing to meet the need
Over the years, The Furniture Bank has held a number of physical locations, growing in size, increasing the quality of furniture available to families in need, and increasing the number served. In 2005, 2,300 families affected by Hurricane Katrina received services from The Furniture Bank. In 2008, The Furniture Bank opened its first Furniture Outlet, the “Bargain Bazar,” selling some donated furniture to help cover the cost of operations. In 2012, the Mattress Recycling Center was founded. In 2015, The Furniture Bank’s Hussion Street location in the East End was destroyed by a fire. In 2017, all operations were moved to The Furniture Bank’s main location at 8220 Mosley Rd. Also in 2017, Houston was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey. Following the storm, over 3,500 families would receive assistance from The Furniture Bank. In 2018, in response to Hurricane Harvey, The Furniture Bank founded its Mattress Builders program, making mattresses for our programs as well as for wholesale as a social business.
Our Vision
The Furniture Bank’s goal is to be able to provide universal furniture assistance to families in need in Houston. We live in a city where 300,000 children are sleeping on the floor. At the same time, 750,000 mattresses are being discarded into Houston’s landfills. The Furniture Bank is working to leverage the generosity of everyday Houstonians and the commitment of our furniture industry partners to continue to grow to meet the need in our city. With the support of foundations, donations, and revenue generated by our Social Businesses, we can create a city where no child sleeps on the floor and every family is able to access the basic furniture necessary for healthy home life.
The Furniture Bank’s mission is to furnish hope by “Making Empty Houses Homes.”
Oli Mohammed, Founder and Executive Director
Donate Your Furniture
Help us “Make Empty Houses Homes!”
Please call us to schedule a free pick-up of your gently-used household furnishings:
Any household item in good, usable condition can make a difference in someone’s life.
CLICK HERE to read guidelines for donated items.
Get Involved Today!
Every night, thousands of children in our city sleep on cold, hard floors. The Furniture Bank strives to offer mattresses to the families we serve – but we need your help. Your support means the world to us, and brings the gift of a good night’s sleep to children in need. Please donate any amount to support our mission.