Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon Martens.
Sharon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Household Goods began in 1990 when Founders Barbara and Ira Smith offered to help a Salvadoran civil war refugee who fled the country with her children and little else. The Smiths posted a notice asking for usable household items for the family and offered their carport as a collection point. They were overwhelmed by the response from people who were happy to give away their gently used furniture and household items. The Smiths soon became aware that there were many more families in their community that could not afford basic household essentials. They began appealing to people in the surrounding communities for donated goods, which they then used to help one family at a time furnish a home. Since then, Household Goods has helped over 37,000 individuals and families make a home. Household Goods arose from a single act of kindness and has grown into a thriving organization that now helps 2,500 individuals and families in need make a home each year.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As a non-profit that depends on the generosity of the community, maintaining a continuous supply of essential household items year-round is a challenge. We aspire to maintain an inventory sufficient to meet the needs of twelve families a day, seven days a week, but from time to time we run low on certain items. It has also been a challenge to keep up with the growing number of items people want to donate. As a result, we take care to make sure that all items we accept from donors will, in turn, be needed by clients. This practice can sometimes cause confusion for well-meaning donors. It can also be a challenge to staff 150 volunteers each week to perform all types of tasks, especially loading and unloading furniture. A final challenge is to raise enough money to cover our expenses. Even with a dedicated volunteer workforce and donated goods, financial donations are critical to the continued success of our mission. Despite these challenges, the fact that we have one simple and very clear mission has kept Household Goods moving forward over the last 28 years!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Household Goods – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Household Goods mission is to provide a full range of donated furniture and household items, free of charge, to help people in need make a home. Each year Household Goods provides over 55,000 items to 2,500 families.
To achieve this mission, Household Goods has specific hours to accommodate the alternating processes of receiving and redistributing donated goods. During receiving shifts, donors bring their items to Household Goods, where volunteers gratefully accept them.
During hours set aside for redistribution, Household Goods welcomes clients and helps each one selects the items they need. Our approach is to make it as efficient as possible for referring agencies to work with us and for clients to obtain needed household essentials. Household Goods offers timely appointments, usually within a week of the date when a social service agency first completes an online referral. Clients arrive with their own truck and a list of needed items. They are paired with a Household Goods volunteer who helps them “shop” for their items, Volunteers are continuously available to answer questions, give advice, and help load items onto clients’ trucks. Feedback from agencies and clients indicates they value the caring, respectful attitude that is evident throughout the process. Household Goods serves anyone in need regardless of their personal circumstances; many are:
Veterans, People emerging from homelessness, Families trying to get by on minimum wage, women and children escaping domestic violence, people with illness or disabilities, refugees, and victims of fires
One recent client, a single mother, wrote,
“Words couldn’t express just how grateful I am that you and the volunteers work so hard to provide for myself and my daughter. You are truly defining the term ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’”
Making a home is often the first step toward achieving long-term stability, and Household Goods makes that step possible. Having a bed to sleep on, a table to eat at, and cookware to make home-cooked meals is no small matter – it allows people dignity. Household Goods not only gives people of limited means their choice of household essentials, but the process itself affords them respect and cultivates hope.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
By all indications, the need for our services will continue well into the foreseeable future. We plan to be fully prepared to help anyone without access to basic furniture and household items make a home. We hope to develop our current location to better serve our volunteers, clients and donors. Planning for these improvements is underway and we look forward to working with the community to make these plans a reality.
Pricing:
- Donations are accepted at 530 Main Street, Acton, MA 01720 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 to Noon.
- To receive furniture a social service agency needs to submit an online referral at householdgoods.org
- Sponsor our Home in One Golf Tournament on July 16, 2018
Contact Info:
- Address: 530 Main Street
Acton, MA 01720 - Website: householdgoods.org
- Phone: 978-635-1710
- Email: info@householdgoods.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Householdgoods.org/
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
