May 2026 Furniture Bank Newsletter
From the President
New Beginnings
After 27 years serving families at our Pontiac facility, we are beginning a new chapter.
I am excited to announce that beginning June 1st, the Furniture Bank will be fully operational out of our new headquarters in Madison Heights. The address is 339 E. Whitcomb, conveniently located near 14 Mile and John R, near Oakland Mall. This new space is three times larger than our current building, which marks a major step forward in our ability to serve families across Metro Detroit.
Relocating is bittersweet. Pontiac has been more than an address for our organization. It has been home. It is where thousands of families received the dignity and comfort of a furnished space to call their own. It is where our mission took root, grew, and demonstrated what is possible when a community comes together to care for its neighbors.
Now, with the strong foundation we’ve built together, the Furniture Bank is growing again.
This expansion is significant because it directly strengthens our impact.
More space creates more opportunities to collect essential furniture.
More room increases our capacity to store, display and organize donations.
More scale allows us to serve more families with the basics that restore stability and dignity.
At its core, this move reflects our commitment to meet growing need with growing capacity. It allows us to say ‘YES’ more often. YES to the family rebuilding after hardship. YES to the veteran transitioning into stable housing. YES to the child who deserves a safe place to sleep and dream big.
While Pontiac will always remain part of our story, this transition represents more than a change of address. It reflects progress, sustainability, and a clear commitment to expanding our reach and deepening our impact across the region.
This moment matters because it is not just about where we are going. It is about all that becomes possible.
Diane Charles,
President & CEO
We're Flipping Out!
The 2nd Annual Furniture Flip Challenge launches next month with new categories, expanded opportunities, and even more ways to participate.
After a standout first year, we are building on that success and aiming for an even larger, more competitive event that tops the money raised last year.
From June 1 through August 31, creators, designers, and DIY enthusiasts will transform donated furniture destined for the landfill into original masterpieces that will beautify homes while helping support families across our community.
This year’s competition features six categories:
Best in Show
($5,000 cash prize)
Most Artistic
Most Functional
Most Creative
Most Transformed
People’s Choice
(Popular vote)
The other category winners will each receive $1,000, and an Honorable Mention prize of $500 will be awarded in every category.
The entry fee of $30 includes the opportunity to select one piece of furniture to transform. Participants can select up to three items.
Furniture pickup will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at our new location, beginning June 1st: 339 E. Whitcomb in Madison Heights
Whether you are an experienced maker or trying something new, this is an opportunity to showcase your talent while making a meaningful impact. We look forward to seeing everyone’s creativity and craftsmanship.
A New Addition to Our Team
Please join us in celebrating an exciting new addition to the Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit team. For the first time in our history, we are proud to introduce our new Director of Development, Allison Gowan-Moreno.
This role marks an important step forward as we continue to grow our impact and strengthen the resources that fuel our mission.
Allison joins us from McLaren Oakland, where she served as Director of Philanthropy. Prior to that, she was Manager of Personal Giving at Leader Dogs for the Blind. She began her career in development in 2017 as Development Manager at In the Image, an organization whose mission closely aligns with our own.
She brings both strong experience and a deep commitment to service to her new role at the Furniture Bank.
Allison holds a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in nonprofit leadership, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations with a minor in nonprofit leadership and event management from Western Michigan University.
She is also a Certified Fund-Raising Executive and currently serves as Treasurer of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Detroit.
Welcome, Allison!
Honoring Mothers This Mother’s Day
Did you know the average client at the Furniture Bank is a single mother between the ages of 18 and 25? She’s raising her children on less than $20,000 a year.
Every day is a balancing act. Rent. Childcare. Transportation. Food. The unexpected. She carries it all.
She is often up before the sun, getting little ones dressed, catching a bus, working a shift, picking up her kids, helping with homework, making dinner, and doing it all again the next day.
There is no backup plan. No safety net. Just determination and love.
And yet, when she finally walks through the door at night, that “home” is often missing something essential.
A bed.
A table.
A couch where her child can sit beside her.
For many of the mothers we serve, her home starts empty or sparse. This Mother’s Day, we’re thinking about moms like Tasha.
At 23, Tasha was working hard to rebuild her life after leaving an unsafe situation. She found a small apartment for herself and her two children, ages two and four. It was a fresh start but it was also bare. No beds. No place to eat together. No comfort.
“I was grateful to have a roof over our heads,” she said. “But it didn’t feel like home.”
That changed the day she came to the Furniture Bank. Her children each picked out their own beds, their excitement filling the warehouse. Tasha chose a small dining table and a couch where they could finally sit together at the end of the day.
“It was the first time I felt like we were going to be okay,” she said.
Furniture may seem simple. But for a mother trying to build stability, it’s foundational.
A bed means rest.
A table means connection.
A furnished home means dignity.
This Mother’s Day, we honor the strength, resilience, and determination of the mothers we serve. Women who, despite overwhelming odds, show up every day for their children.
And with your help, we can show up for them. Because every mother deserves more than just a place to live. She deserves a place to land.
Dream Day Detroit:
A Day That Changed Bedtime for 100 Kids
There are some days that stay with you, and Dream Day Detroit was one of them.
In partnership with Mitch Albom’s charity, SAY Detroit and its SAY Play program, our April 25th event focused on children who do not have a bed of their own. For many of these kids, bedtime means sharing with family members or sleeping on a couch, making something as simple as rest feel uncertain.
Instead of just delivering beds, our goal was to create something joyful and memorable. For two hours, children stepped into an experience that made bedtime feel fun while teaching simple, healthy routines.
The day was filled with energy and laughter. Kids enjoyed face painting, pizza, magic tricks, rock climbing, arts and crafts, and music from a live DJ.
The “Motor City Dans,” a group of entertaining Dan Campbell look-alikes, engaged with the kids while sharing important messages about turning off electronics, brushing teeth, and reading before bed.
One of the event highlights was a bed making contest featuring former Detroit Lions stars Lomas Brown and Tim Walton competing against the Motor City Dans.
“It wasn’t as easy as you would think,” said emcee Lila Lazarus. “In the end, the Dan Campbells came away with the win.”
Each of the children left with more than just a fun memory. They received a new book, a toothbrush, sheets, a comforter, and a pillow, simple but meaningful items that help create a sense of routine and comfort.
For families, the impact is deeply personal.
“Knowing my child has a bed of their own means the world to me,” one mother shared. “It’s more than a place to sleep. It’s comfort. It’s peace of mind.”
The impact continues beyond the event. Every child also received a brand new Serta Restokraft mattress and bed frame delivered to their home as part of the Furniture Bank’s 1,000 Beds Challenge, giving them not just a place to sleep, but a safe place that is truly their own.
