Illustration by Ellen Surrey
For society’s most vulnerable to have a seat at the table, they first need to have furniture.
That’s where the CARITAS Furniture Bank comes in, by providing essential household items to those who have been homeless or in other kinds of crises but now have a place to live; they are referred to the nonprofit by partner agencies for help in furnishing it.
Sarah Caylor of Porter Street Purchasing was so impressed with CARITAS’ mission during a tour of its facilities that she enlisted Lacy Wilmouth from the JCF Group and Tyra Wagner of Custom View to co-host an event to benefit the furniture bank — the first-ever Caring for CARITAS, an RVA Design Community Drive, will accept donations of furniture and furnishings on May 14 from 3 to 6 p.m. and May 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Custom View, 1965 Westmoreland St. in Richmond.
“I had known about CARITAS through my church, but not really well,” Caylor says, adding that seeing the organization up close “was probably just one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had. … What they were doing was really incredible.”
Via a Zoom call, Wilmouth and Wagner were equally enthusiastic, with the former noting, “I didn’t know much about CARITAS at the time, and it’s pulled on all my heartstrings.” They are hoping for strong support from the design community and the general public through donations of much-needed household furnishings — gently used mattresses and box springs (no foam or king), dressers, sofas, love seats, cookware, kitchen tables (no glass tops) and chairs, and more. For a full list of needed items, visit caritas.org/rvadesigndrive.
Volunteers will also be on hand to help unload and provide receipts for tax purposes. Donated items are also accepted weekdays at the CARITAS Furniture Bank at 2220 Stockton St. in Richmond. Observing that “tables are the heart of the home,” Wagner is spearheading an initiative to purchase small dining table kits for CARITAS at $65 apiece, with some to be assembled during the event.
Once donated, furnishings and other household items are arranged in a showroom-like display for CARITAS clients to make selections by appointment.
“We want this to be an enjoyable experience,” explains Sandy Morris, a CARITAS Furniture Bank program manager and customer service specialist, who says she encourages clients to test-drive a sofa, for instance, to make sure it’s comfortable.
After all, she says, “This furniture makes a house a home.”
