What makes Rich Garland with The Blessing Board a good neighbor?  

Meeting Basic Needs: How The Blessing Board Transforms Empty Houses into Homes

In Pittsburgh's suburbs, a remarkable organization is addressing a critical but often overlooked need: furniture poverty. The Blessing Board, a Christian furniture bank founded in 2010, has served over 14,000 families with free furniture and household essentials. As Executive Director Rich Garland explains, "We serve men and women coming out of incarceration, men and women dealing with homelessness, mental illness, drug addiction, women fleeing from domestic violence issues." This mission is filling a vital gap in social services that many people don't even realize exists.

What makes furniture poverty particularly insidious is that it can affect anyone, regardless of neighborhood or background. Rich shared a powerful example: "I live in, not a rich neighborhood, but it's rather affluent, and I was one day serving and I noticed a woman had walked in who I knew from several years ago. My wife and I had been out with them socially, and I thought she was there to serve." Instead, due to divorce and life circumstances, she had lost everything and was there to receive furniture. This reality check demonstrates how quickly life circumstances can change, leaving individuals and families without basic necessities that many take for granted.

The Blessing Board operates two large showrooms in the Pittsburgh area – a 25,000 square foot facility in Shaler and a 29,000 square foot location in West Mifflin. These spaces allow them to serve approximately 150 families each month with beds, couches, dining tables, lamps, kitchenware, and other household essentials. However, the need far exceeds their current capacity, with over 500 requests coming in monthly. This gap highlights the widespread nature of furniture poverty and the crucial role that organizations like The Blessing Board play in addressing it.

What makes The Blessing Board particularly effective is their volunteer-driven model. With 260 active volunteers and a lean staff, they ensure that donations are used efficiently to maximize impact. On a typical "Day of Blessing," 15-20 volunteers help serve 10 families who come to select furniture for their homes. This approach not only provides practical assistance but also creates a dignified experience for recipients. Rather than simply receiving handouts, families can personally select items that suit their needs and preferences, restoring a sense of agency during difficult transitions.

Perhaps the most moving aspect of The Blessing Board's work is captured in the stories of those they serve. Rich shared one particularly transformative encounter from March 2018 with a young widow who had recently moved to Pittsburgh after her husband's death from cancer at age 33. Left with three small children and no furniture, she had called The Blessing Board twice without response. "She was sitting on the floor this past Tuesday and was crying. Her kids were crying. Didn't know what to do, so she prayed, and God said call one more time." Twenty minutes after that final call, she had an appointment, and that Saturday, she received a house full of furniture at no cost. These moments of connection and relief exemplify why furniture banks are essential community resources.

For those looking to support The Blessing Board's mission, they offer multiple ways to get involved. Financial contributions, including their current "Be a Blessing" campaign encouraging $15 monthly recurring donations, help sustain their operations. Volunteer opportunities abound for those wanting to serve their community in a tangible way. And of course, furniture donations keep their warehouses stocked with essential items for families in need. By addressing furniture poverty, The Blessing Board demonstrates how seemingly simple items – a bed, a table, a couch – can dramatically transform lives and restore dignity to those facing difficult circumstances.

To learn more about The Blessing Board go to: 

https://theblessingboard.org/

The Blessing Board

412-607-0202