President’s Message
Community-based organizations are facing increased demand for services on their limited resources and the issues being addressed by the nonprofit community today are becoming more complex. This combination of stressors is leading a number of nonprofits to turn to more strategic partnerships that can generate more capacity and strengthen the mission of the nonprofit. Strategic partnerships allow us to expand our core mission and secure the strengths of others in a collaborative approach toward a common purpose that benefits both entities.
A key strategic partner of the Furniture Bank is the Columbus College of Art and Design. For the past few years, CCAD students have undertaken projects to help improve various facets of Furniture Bank operations. Recently, CCAD industrial design students took on a project focused on efficient design of functional and attractive furniture items to be produced as cost effectively as possible by volunteers in our woodshop.
In addition to CCAD, the Furniture Bank is fortunate to have many other strategic partners that make it possible for our mission to continue—referral partners, furniture and financial donors, the philanthropic community in central Ohio and the volunteers who provide close to 26,000 hours of service each year.
Working in groups, CCAD students designed and built chairs and tables in two sizes. What resulted were some really creative designs that have the potential to be included among the inventory of furniture currently being built at the Furniture Bank. The students benefited by working on a project that has real world application and having the opportunity to give back to the community. CCAD instructors are working with us on the next collaborative project to
be undertaken in the fall of 2019.
Strategic partnerships are the foundation on which the Furniture Bank builds and strengthens its efforts to help turn empty houses into homes of hope for central Ohio individuals and families impacted by poverty. We will continue to highlight strategic partnerships in our 2019 newsletters to reinforce the value and importance of collaboration to our ability to meet our mission each and every day.