April 2026 Furniture Bank Newsletter
September 10, 2026
For Our Signature Flip and Fundraiser
The 2nd annual FFC and Bash are back and are ready to create an unforgettable night. Join us Thursday, September 10 at the Village Club in Bloomfield Hills for an evening where creativity, competition, and purpose take center stage.
HILARY SAID YES!
Internationally known designer and HGTV Love It or List It star Hilary Farr will headline the night as our celebrity judge, bringing her signature wit and expert eye to select the most extraordinary transformations.
Here is the challenge. Talented designers and creative minds take gently used furniture and reimagine it into one-of-a-kind statement pieces. Bold, unexpected, completely transformed. And the competition is fierce. $10,000 in prizes is at stake, and one standout piece will win the $5,000 grand prize.
Each creation gives furniture a second life, keeping it out of landfills while turning it into something meaningful for families in need. It is design with purpose and impact.
Mark your calendar now for September 10. The Furniture Flip Challenge. Hilary Farr. $5,000 on the line. Details on the Furniture Flip Challenge coming next month.
Dream Day Detroit
Give a Child the Gift of a Bed
At the Furniture Bank, we believe every child deserves a safe and comfortable place to sleep. That belief drives Dream Day Detroit, an exciting event to support our bold 1,000 Beds Challenge initiative to deliver 1,000 beds to children in 2026.
On Saturday, April 25, we are partnering with SAY Detroit to create an unforgettable day for 100 children ages 8 to 13 who currently do not have a bed of their own. This is more than a giveaway. It is a celebration of hope, joy, and possibility.
From Noon to 2 p.m., the children will enjoy a lively party with face painting, a live DJ, basketball, great food, and visits from local athletes. Amid the fun, they will also learn the importance of healthy sleep and routines, helping them grow, focus, and thrive every day.
Then comes the moment that truly changes lives. Each child will leave with a brand-new mattress, foundation, pillow, and bedding, their very own bed to sleep in that night.
This matters because right here in Metro Detroit, an estimated 20,000 children under 18 go to sleep tonight without a bed of their own. Many sleep on the floor, on a sofa, or share crowded spaces. This hidden crisis, known as bed poverty, is urgent, widespread, and rarely discussed.
A bed is more than comfort. It is stability. It is dignity. It is a place to recharge and dream.
As pediatrician and Furniture Bank advisor Dr. Molly O’Shea points out, “A bed is not just a bed. It is a child’s own safe space where they can grow, dream, and hope.”
From Client to Changemaker:
Welcoming Yolanda Harrison to Our Board
The Furniture Bank is proud to welcome Yolanda Harrison as the newest member of our Board of Directors.
Yolanda brings something deeply meaningful to our organization: the perspective of someone who has experienced our mission firsthand.
Several years ago, Yolanda walked through our doors during one of the most difficult times in her life. A survivor of domestic violence, she was working to rebuild a home for herself and her two young daughters. Like many of the families we serve, she was starting over with determination, courage, and very little furniture to make their new space feel like home.
She knows what it means to walk into an empty house and what it feels like when that house becomes a place of comfort, dignity, and belonging.
“When you’re healing from a crisis, you’re rebuilding your life from the inside out. You want to wake up to something beautiful, not disorder. Your surroundings should support your healing.”
Today, Yolanda’s story has come full circle in a truly inspiring way. She has not only turned the page, but she has also written an entirely new chapter.
Yolanda now serves as a Community Service Specialist for the City of Highland Park. She is also an active member of the Highland Park Board of Education, where she serves as Secretary and Sergeant at Arms. In addition, she is pursuing her college degree while continuing to invest in her community and her family’s future.
“Yolanda’s voice, insight, and lived experience will help guide our work as we continue serving thousands of families across Metro Detroit,” said Board Chair David Zick. “We are incredibly grateful to now have her shaping the mission that once helped shape her.
True Spring Cleaning with a Purpose
Spring is the perfect time to take a hard look at the clutter in your home. Those items tucked away in closets, basements, or spare rooms could be more than forgotten, they could be someone’s fresh start.
At the Furniture Bank, your gently used furniture helps families across Metro Detroit rebuild after crises like homelessness, domestic violence, illness, or job loss. That old dresser can hold a child’s clothes. That dining table can become the place for family meals. That sofa can be the first comfortable seat in a new home.
Taking action is easy. Place items on your porch or in your garage for free pickup, and your donation is tax deductible. For larger items inside your home, our Furniture Removal Service makes decluttering simple while directly supporting our mission.
This spring, don’t just clear space. Turn your clutter into hope for a family in need.
So as you declutter this season, consider passing your gently used furniture along to someone who truly needs it. Together, we can turn spring cleaning into something powerful.
