October 2025 Furniture Bank Newsletter
From the President
The Power of One
Dear Friends and Supporters,
For retailers, the next few months are known as the “golden quarter.” For charities, it’s what we call The Giving Months—when every gift counts more than ever. This is the season when nonprofits step on the fundraising pedal, working tirelessly to ensure our communities thrive. The Furniture Bank is no different.
We all have personal reasons for choosing which causes to support. For me, it’s children. As a mother, their well-being is my soft spot. But we all have our own stories—whether it’s a loved one affected by illness, a cause that touched your life, or a community that needs your help.
I’m reminded each year of the Starfish story, a fable about a grandfather and grandson walking along a beach covered with stranded starfish. The boy picks up one starfish at a time and tosses it back into the ocean. The grandfather asks, “Why bother? There are thousands of them.” The boy simply replies, “It matters to this one.”
That’s the essence of what we do at the Furniture Bank. Every child, every family we help, every bed we provide—a single gift can transform a child’s life, offering safety, dignity, and hope.
This giving season, I invite you to experience the power of one. Your contribution, no matter the size, changes the story for someone in need. You can be the reason a child sleeps in a safe, warm bed tonight. You can be the starfish thrown back into the sea.
Together, we can make an incredible difference—one child, one family, one gift at a time.
Diane Charles,
President & CEO
Get Holiday-Ready & Give Back!
Hagopian Cleaning Services is teaming up with The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit to make your home sparkle and help local families in need.
Call Hagopian for furniture cleaning during the month of October and will donate 5% of the proceeds to Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit. Furniture cleaning must be completed by October 31, 2025.
Call today to schedule your appointment.
1-800-HAGOPIAN (424-6742)
The Most Trusted Name in Cleaning Since 1939
Rugs • Carpet • Furniture • Air Ducts & Dryer Vents • Tile & Grout
Giving Thanks:
Honoring Jill and Bruce Gleba
This fall, we extend our deepest thanks to two extraordinary leaders who have helped shape the Furniture Bank for more than a decade. After years of dedicated service, longtime board members Jill and Bruce Gleba are stepping down from the board.
Jill was the first to join, raising thousands of dollars through her spirited Euchre parties and inspiring friends and neighbors to support our mission. Bruce soon followed, bringing steady leadership as Board President for seven years. Together, they gave generously of their time, talent, and resources to ensure families in crisis received the furniture they needed to rebuild their lives.
Along the way, they helped guide the Furniture Bank through some of its most challenging moments—from economic downturns to the pandemic—and leave us stronger, more financially stable, and positioned for the future.
As Bruce and Jill shared,
“We may be stepping off the board, but we aren’t stepping away from the Furniture Bank. We absolutely love the mission and believe that furniture is critical in helping families get a fresh start and heal from trauma.”
On behalf of our entire Furniture Bank family, we honor Jill and Bruce for their vision, their leadership, and their unwavering belief that every family deserves a home filled with comfort and dignity.
Give your gently used furniture and household items a second life while making a difference!
We will be at the Grosse Pointe South High School parking lot on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 10 AM to 3 PM.
We’re looking for mattresses, dining sets, sofas, chairs, linens, pots, pans, and more! Items should be clean and free of rips, stains, or tears. Plus, your donations are tax-deductible!
Donor Advised Fund
Simplify Your Giving
A donor advised fund (or DAF), which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to the Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit and other qualified charities. You can recommend a grant or recurring grants now to make an immediate impact, or use your fund as a tool for future charitable gifts.
How it Works:
Mike and Laurie want to give back to their hometown by putting their money where it will do the most good. They establish a $25,000 donor advised fund with a community foundation. The couple receives a federal income tax charitable deduction for the gift. They also get the time they need to decide which charities to support.
After researching community needs with the foundation’s staff, Mike and Laurie recommend grants for the Furniture Bank (which they’ve supported for years) and a local food bank. The foundation presents the charities with checks from the Schulte Fund, which Mike and Laurie named in honor of Laurie’s mother. They name the Furniture Bank as the beneficiary to receive the account balance after their lifetimes. Mike and Laurie are delighted to start this personal legacy of giving.
You can also create a legacy by naming the Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit the beneficiary of the entire account or a percentage of the fund. With a percentage, you can create a family legacy of giving by naming your loved ones as your successors to continue recommending grants to charitable organizations. Contact your fund administrator for a beneficiary form.
Fun Fact!
Donating furniture helps curb the growing problem of furniture waste. In 2018, over 12 million tons of furniture were sent to landfills in the U.S.
Did You Know?
We are one of the few charities that accept used mattresses.
We realize a lot of folks have guest rooms where the mattresses are barely used and have lots of life left.
If you have a mattress (any size) that is free of rips, tears, stains, or pet hair, please call us at 248.332.1300 or donate now.
