Helping struggling families get furniture can be as challenging as addressing food or fuel poverty according to a local charity.
Home Ahead Boulder County collects unwanted furniture items and donates fixtures to those transitioning out of homelessness. Operations Coordinator Eilene Spear said furniture is a cost of living issue in much the same way as other essentials.
“Beds are particularly in demand,” Spear said. “It makes sense because everyone needs a comfortable place to sleep, but the cost of a frame and mattress and linens can be a real challenge.”
The nonprofit furnishes about 150 apartments each month. Two weeks ago, they helped to set up a living space for the thousandth time.
“People transitioning out of homelessness find themselves walking into an empty apartment, where they lack everything from a place to sit to plates and cups,” Spear said. “They have four walls and that’s about it.”
There are many reasons people might be in a situation where they need the help of Home Ahead, Spear said. The organization defines “homelessness” broadly, to include those who are moving from temporary housing to something more permanent and individuals in the community going through a focused re-entry after leaving prison. Some clients have left domestic violence situations, and others are moving out of shelters.
“If these people don’t have support like friends or family to provide goods for them, all they have is a vacant space,” Spear said.
Home Ahead began as a project of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Boulder when a woman experiencing homelessness and attending services managed to secure housing. People in the faith community came together to help furnish the space with basic necessities. The nonprofit has grown from there, supplying furniture to 400 homes between 2019 and 2021. Seed money provided by St. Andrews allowed for the creation of a 501(c)(3) entity in 2021, and the nonprofit has since expanded operations.
Caseworkers partner with clients to determine preliminary furniture needs. Then, the caseworkers, clients and a representative at Home Ahead assess the client’s space and provide enough of the basics to make an apartment livable.
“We don’t do anything with a cord,” Spear said. “We do help with linens and other supplies so that people can be comfortable in their homes.”
Spear said furniture poverty is often hidden, and it’s not something people think about when they consider homelessness.
“Once someone secures a place to live, people think the work is done,” she said. “There’s a lot of wealth in Boulder County, and there’s also a lot of awareness that people don’t want their old furniture to take up space in a landfill. We can put those items to good use.”
Despite getting its start in Boulder, about 70% of Home Ahead clients live in Longmont. The organization relies heavily on volunteers, many of whom were also clients.
“It’s great to see people we helped now doing the work of helping others, and they bring a unique perspective in understanding how to best serve others,” Spear said.
