Our History
Dallas Furniture Bank was established in 2003 in response to the lack of furniture resources for homeless people who secure housing. Before DFB, many of these families and individuals had no furniture to move into their new homes and were forced to sleep and eat on the floor and exist daily in a barren place--conditions not even experienced in their shelter living. The effort was spearheaded by long-time friends and community volunteers Sheryl Fields Bogen and Jerry Szor. They surveyed many social service agencies in Dallas, as well as potential funding sources. Everyone agreed that the needs were great and no other organization or agency was equipped to respond.
Our Purpose
Dallas Furniture Bank’s program fills the missing gap in the continuum of care for transitional homeless and low-income families. Though many of our agency partners provide housing for those in need, the resource of furniture is not provided to approximately 90% of these families. At Dallas Furniture Bank, we believe that living spaces should be filled. Furniture not only fills a house with practical comfort, but also instills a sense of hope and dignity. DFB collects basic household furniture from private households and businesses and stores them in a warehouse for future distribution. Simply put, we coordinate the transfer of unwanted, gently used furniture from people that wish to dispose of it, to those who desperately need it. Our mission is good for the environment, the economy, and, most importantly, people in need. Working with social service agencies that refer clients to us, DFB provides this basic furniture to previously homeless families and others in need, resulting in increased chances for self-sufficiency, higher levels of self-esteem, and long-term stability.