When Dr. John Hayes saw unclaimed furniture collected in the area for refugees of hurricanes Katrina and Rita leave for the Mississippi coast in 2005, the idea for a local furniture bank was born.
On Wednesday, nearly five years after the disasters, the idea became a reality when the Chattanooga Furniture Bank, a partnership between the Salvation Army and the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, held its grand opening in a former potato warehouse on 11th Street.
"This is truly helping those who have needs," said Dr. Hayes, who was with the Chattanooga Housing Authority in 2005 and now is a program director at the United Way. "This is one of those realities you wanted to make sure that happened."
Recipients of furniture must be referred by an agency that works with displaced or homeless people and families, is a member of the Chattanooga Furniture Bank and abides by its requirements.
The city donated the location, which is part of the old Farmer's Market, and provided a $32,000 start-up grant from its Department of Neighborhood Services and Community Development.
Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield said the 10-acre campus, which also houses the Chattanooga Community Kitchen Day Center and the Interfaith Homeless Network, is the perfect place for the furniture bank.
"It's readily becoming a focal point of people dealing with the adversities of life," he said.
Eva Dillard, president of the local United Way, said the 6,000-square-foot furniture bank is another opportunity for the community to share its generosity.
"It offers a way of helping families who are transitioning," she said.
Before the furniture bank opened, it already had helped outfit 20 families, said Maj. Jim Lawrence of the Salvation Army.
The 21st family, newlyweds Gary and Jessica Hart, who just moved to Chattanooga from Aberdeen, Miss., hauled away a truckload of furniture during the warehouse's grand opening.
"We're just starting out," said Mr. Hart, 48. "We thank the Lord for this blessing. It's wonderful how the community wants to reach out to other people."
WHO CAN COME
Chattanooga Furniture Bank recipients must:
* Be referred by an agency that works with displaced or homeless people and families (now including the Salvation Army, the AIM Center, Veterans Administration, the Interfaith Homeless Network, The Next Door and the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults)
* Have an appointment arranged by a member agency
* Have a permanent home for which the furniture is needed
* Continue to work with the referring member agency for support services after housing is established
WANT TO DONATE?
* Items needed by the Chattanooga Furniture Bank include beds, bed frames, microwaves, mattresses, TVs, tables, washers, dryers, couches, stoves, lamps, refrigerators, kitchen chairs, kitchen tables, sets of dishes, sofas, love seats, den/living room chairs, stand-alone cabinets and linens.
* The Chattanooga Furniture Bank will take scratched and dented items from retailers and usable chairs, dressers, bureaus, mattresses and tables from Realtors, hotels and motels.
* Donations are tax deductible and may be able to be picked up.
* Call 757-9527 for information or to donate.