Our staff and volunteers recently visited a number of thrift stores to measure the value of the items a family receives when they visit the Furniture Bank. How much do you think it would cost to purchase a house full gently used furniture? The results were surprising!
It would cost over $900 to buy a house full of furniture at a second hand store! You would also have to visit more than one store, and then arrange to transport the furniture back to your home. We visited Volunteers of America, Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore locations throughout Columbus.
The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio is able to provide a house full of furniture in a one-stop shopping environment that is delivered the same day to our clients homes for about $425. We think that’s an incredible value for a family and agency. Together, the value of the furniture plus the cost of pick up, transporting and storing furniture, then working with agencies to schedule appointments, and deliver the furniture adds up to more than $1300.
Throughout the year, we provide more than $5.3 million dollars in value to the Central Ohio community as we help turn more than 4,000 empty houses into homes.