Furniture Bank workshop instructor Melanie McMullen works hard every day restoring furniture that nobody wanted.
“I restore anywhere from five to 10 pieces a day … I think that sometimes if the people saw the way it looks when I’m finished with it, maybe they’d want it back,” McMullen said.
The workshop is part of the Furniture Bank, a charity and social enterprise that collects gently used furniture. Their mission is to provide these items for free to families transitioning out of homelessness or displacement.
“Every single day we’re getting between 20 and 25 families, (they’re) coming into our place to build a home,” said executive director Dan Kershaw.
“Last year there was nearly 11,000 people that received the gift of furniture,” he said.
Although McMullen has been employed in the furniture workshop for more than a year, she started as a participant in Furniture Bank’s Leg Up program.
“Wherever we can create opportunities for marginalized populations, especially youth, we put them and get them involved in the actual work of the charity,” said Kershaw.
The program works with employment agencies and partners to provide work experience and life skills training in areas such as furniture warehouse, pickup and delivery, accounting, and most recently, the furniture workshop.
“I love it … it’s the best job I ever had,” McMullen said.