Dear Folks,
Many of you will know that Kitsilano Christian Community Church began a ministry to those in the community who were setting up their homes and had no resources to do so. The Opportunity Fund helped fund this ministry called HomeStart and since 2003, HomeStart has served over 6000 people. I was fortunate, along with three or four others, to start this organization and I am still on it’s board. Vikki Stevenson is it’s extremely capable Director. She has agreed to answer a few questions.
Vikki, how would you describe what HomeStart is and what it does? We’re a not for profit furniture bank – collecting donated furniture and giving it to people in need. Sometimes it’s hard enough to pay the rent and buy food – let alone try to buy furniture. We pick up furniture, store it at a warehouse and clients pick up or have the furniture delivered to them. We’ve furnished 420 homes so far this year, giving away more than $150,000 worth of furniture.
Who does it serve? We help furnish homes for those who’ve had the misfortune of being homeless and are now being housed – but face the challenge of living in one of Canada’s most expensive cities. Our clients are women and children fleeing domestic abuse, refugees, youth at risk or who have aged out of foster care, seniors and people with mental and physical disabilities.
Who are Homestart’s main financial and volunteer partners? Kitsilano Christian Community Church continues to be a mainstay! They are the largest regular monthly donor and members provide so many valuable professional services and networking contacts. The majority of our major donors have come through our connections at Kits. We also partner with many secondary and post secondary student groups who come in for projects during the year.
Many of the people that HomeStart has served have moved to places like Surrey. How do you still meet their needs? We can only deliver within a limited area. The member agencies we work with there are committed to helping their clients and they bring in company vans and help arrange moving grants. Sometimes people are able to find a friend to help out or share a rental truck with another family. We are the only organization providing this service.
You have quite a diversity of community partners and people that you serve. Could you give us some examples? We work with about 80 different social service agencies – dealing with every type of need. From Tamil refugees to Jewish Family Services, Raincity Housing and the Salvation Army, they all depend on us to support their clients as they try to make a home and achieve stability.
I have an old couch that still has some life in it, do you need more furniture? I’ll gratefully decline! We have an abundant supply of excellent quality furniture – we can barely keep up. If we had more money we’d love to expand our service.
You have a particular need and crisis on your hands. Do you want to tell us about it? We’ve had a donated truck that is needed elsewhere – it will be gone next month. This unexpected expense is disastrous for an organization running on about $100,000 a year! We don’t have money in the bank to buy a new one and we’re sidelined without a vehicle. We need a one -ton truck and funding for insurance and maintenance.
If people wanted to partner with you in solving this critical need, how would they go about it? They can donate online through our website www.homestart.ca, give a gift of securities, talk to people they know in the industry, consider sponsoring the truck once we get it and pray that it all comes together soon! We don’t want to leave another family in an empty apartment, sitting on milk crates, with their kid’s clothes stored in garbage bags.
This is yet another of the most unusual calling to service that the churches and foundation of this denomination support, in the name of Christ and through your hearts and hands.
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy