Thanks to a generous donation, the Downtown Churches for Social Justice now have more storage for donated furniture.
Affordable Storage Centre donated a storage unit last March, which has been kept full by furniture donations from the community.
The donated furniture is intended to help low-income citizens who are transitioning into new homes but don’t have the funds to buy furniture.
In September, Affordable Storage Centre upgraded the unit to a larger space.
“I think it was wonderful they donated us a smaller one and then came back and gave us one that was larger, so it was a wonderful gift,” said Pat Simons, Deacon of Saint Saviour’s Anglican Church. “It enables us to keeps some bigger things in there.”
Larger items like reclinable couches and chairs are now able to fit in the storage unit while they await a family in need.
Simons said a lot of the donations from around the city come from seniors who are sizing down their living space, or people who are leaving town and want to lighten the load.
Even now with the larger storage unit there is little room to take on any more furniture.
The unit being full is a good problem to have. Simons said donations are coming and going quite often. The organization has been able to help families and the homeless around Penticton.
“Some people have been on the street, some of them are people who have moved into town and can maybe afford an apartment, but can’t furnish. People who have run into hard times,” Simons said.
Some donations include a double bed for a family with a teenager, a rocking chair for a new mother and a kitchen table and chairs to a single mom with three children.
“They’re on the line of poverty and can’t afford extra things, so we try and help them out,” Simons said.
Saint Saviour’s Anglican Church also hosts a free store on the second and third Fridays of every month at the church next to the soup kitchen.