Furniture Share has received an infusion of $100,000 that is helping the nonprofit assist wildlife survivors, one of its key missions.
Furniture Share received $80,000 from the Oregon Community Foundation as well as $20,000 from the OCF’s Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation.
The funds will be used, said executive director Michelle Maddux Robinson, for Furniture Share’s wildfire furniture relief program.
One key outcome of the new funding is that the money allowed Furniture Share to buy a box truck with which to make deliveries.
“Previously,” Robinson said, “they had to pick up furniture from our warehouse in Albany, which was very difficult for most of the wildfire survivors. We are very excited to be able to serve more Oregonians who were affected by the devastating wildfires."
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The goals of the project are to provide 800 beds for kids, 2,500 individuals with furniture and home furnishings, 750 food boxes and 250 dinner tables to wildfire survivors in Linn, Lane Lincoln, Jefferson, Marion and Clackamas counties.
To date, Robinson said, Furniture Share has served 1,446 wildlife survivors.
“This is just the beginning,” Robinson said, “as many are looking for affordable housing and or have had delays in rebuilding their home. It is anticipated that we will serve more than 2,500 individuals with home furnishings.”
Furniture Share has been using a 7,500-square-foot warehouse in Albany donated by Conser Realty & Associates to store its items, which have been received from Oregon residents as well as those in Washington.
“Furniture has a profound impact on a (family’s) quality of life,” Robinson said, in an email. “Together we can: decrease the likelihood of re-experiencing displacement or homelessness; improve physical and mental health; improve financial stability by freeing up funds for other essential items; and increase the ability and likelihood (of being able to) participate in and contribute to the community.”
The Oregon Community Foundation distributed approximately $4.7 million statewide to counties affected by last fall’s fires. Here is a look at the other grants to mid-valley agencies:
• The United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley received more than $151,000 to assist with its Santiam Canyon Long Term Recovery Group, which is based in Mill City.
The new money will help support Beachie Creek Fire survivors by creating a funding source for the group’s unmet needs committee as well as basic administrative and operating expenses. The grant also will allow the group to hire a recovery manager.
The United Way group is assisting residents in Lyons, Mehama, Mill City, Gates, Elkhorn, Detroit, Idanha and Breitenbush.
• The Detroit Lake Foundation received $40,000 to help support work to build the Detroit Lake Community Center. The new building, which is receiving donations of time, materials and contractor expertise from a coalition led by Rich Duncan Construction of Salem, also will serve as the replacement for City Hall, which burned down in the wildfires.
• Nearly $345,000 of the OCF funding will help with relief for survivors of the Echo Mountain Fire, which burned near Otis in Lincoln County. The funding will pay for ramps for disabled residents, work tools and other community assistance and fundraising missions and capacity building.
Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@lee.net or 541-812-6116. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day.