DALLAS FURNITURE BANK
GRANT REQUEST TO THE J.R. DALLAS FAMILY FOUNDATION Organization: Dallas Furniture Bank Organization contact: Tina L. Morris, LMSW Title: Executive Director Address: 1421 Champion Drive, Suite 308 Carrollton, Texas 75006 Mailing address: P.O. Box 815788, Dallas, TX 75381-5788 Telephone: (972) 241-6558 Fax: (972) 241-6958 E-mail: DalFurnitureBank@aol.com Federal ID number: 48-1279673 Date established: December 2002 Year 2006 budget: $222,978 Website address: www.dallasfurniturebank.org Grant request: $5,000 Date submitted: July 20, 2006 ________________________________________________________________________________________ DALLAS FURNITURE BANK MISSION The mission of the Dallas Furniture Bank (DFB) is to provide furniture that meets basic living needs to families and individuals who are transitioning out of homelessness, or to others who are in need. We work to achieve this mission by collaborating with Dallas social service agencies whose clients desperately need furniture. The Dallas Furniture Bank is the only agency in Dallas County whose mission is to provide basic household furnishings to people in need. GRANT REQUEST SUMMARY Each year thousands of homeless families move into a home of their own. These families usually lack the basic items that transform a house into a home, such as cribs, beds, dressers, sofas, tables and chairs. The Dallas Furniture Bank collects basic household furniture from private households and businesses and stores them in a warehouse facility in Northern Dallas County for future distribution. Working with 58 agencies in the Dallas area that refer their clients to us, the Dallas Furniture Bank provides this basic furniture to homeless families and others in need, resulting in improved self-sufficiency, self-esteem, and long-term stability for these people. The Dallas Furniture Bank serves individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, women and children escaping domestic violence, families below the poverty line, victims of natural disasters, and others requiring emergency assistance. The Dallas Furniture Bank needs your help more than ever before. The effects of Hurricane Katrina which hit the Gulf Coast last August have greatly impacted our service abilities currently at the Dallas Furniture Bank. We are still providing furniture assistance to Hurricane Katrina evacuees who have been anxiously waiting since last year to receive service from us and we are still receiving new calls daily with new requests from additional evacuees. We presently do not have enough furniture in our inventory to assist the majority of the requests that we have received. Our name is on a referral list being given by FEMA and the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) as a resource for furniture. We are keenly aware, at this time, that we are the only non-profit organization serving Dallas County that provides basic household furniture to those transitioning from homeless environments or crisis situations. In addition to the victims of the storm, we are committed to making sure that we continue to serve our member agencies and the clients they are referring from the Dallas area who are in need. To ensure that our vital services can continue we are requesting a grant in the amount of
$5,000 from J.R. Dallas Family Foundation so that we can provide approximately 20 families (80 individuals total) with the help they so desperately need of furniture as they transition into a home of their own.
GRANT PURPOSE It is estimated that between 2.3 million and 3.5 million people experienced homelessness in 1996, when the most recent national count was conducted. Data collected since that time indicates that the number has risen and is continuing to rise each year. In Dallas alone, approximately 9,000 individuals - mothers, fathers, and children – spend nights on the streets with nowhere to go and no idea where they will be tomorrow. Their numbers are growing at an alarming rate. In one seven month span the Dallas homeless population rose 17%, according to a 2002 Mayor’s Homeless Summit. In that same year, the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance reported a 50% increase in need from area shelters and agencies. Increasing unemployment and our recent economic downturn have created what the United Way Community Assessment calls a “substantial increase in the number of people seeking support”. Homeless does not mean hopeless. Armed with a will to beat the odds and with help from our social service agencies, hundreds of people escape Dallas streets and shelters each year. They embark on a new path of selfsufficiency and permanent housing. But a house is not a home. The cash deposits and rent money necessary to get these individuals off the streets leave nothing to purchase even the most basic of furniture. Children sleep on dirty floors; entire families dine within barren walls, without chairs or a table for meals. The Dallas Homeless Commission confirms that there is a chronic and critical need for furniture. One Dallas agency reports that 75% of these people have absolutely no furniture at all. Other agencies receive six to seven calls a day from people in need of furniture. A house is indeed, not a home. The Dallas Furniture Bank (DFB) is the only organization in Dallas whose sole purpose is to provide basic furnishings to families and individuals determined to rebuild their lives in a home of their own. We fill a void that the other social services agencies cannot provide. We believe that if a reasonable level of comfort, dignity and self esteem are provided, adults will have a better chance of maintaining steady employment and remaining self-sufficient. A furnished, livable home environment that allows them to eat in comfort, rest well and interact together as a family will dramatically reduce the potential of their falling back into homelessness. In a positive environment such as this, children, too, will benefit and even thrive. HOW THE DALLAS FURNITURE BANK PROGRAM WORKS The Dallas Furniture Bank brings hope to one of the most diverse areas of North Texas. For the homeless, battered mothers and children in retreat, victims of natural disasters, and others requiring emergency assistance, the DFB stands ready to offer a hand. The DFB’s only program is to provide furniture that meets basic living needs to families and individuals who are transitioning out of homelessness or whom are otherwise in need of basic furniture. The Dallas Furniture Bank is a member of the National Furniture Bank Association (NFBA) which currently has more than 50 members across the nation. To date, NFBA affiliates have provided more than 50,000 beds, 25,000 sofas and over 75,000 chairs, serving an estimated 93,000 families. The estimated value of furniture and household items provided to families exceeds $70,000,000. Our Dallas program is modeled after the highly successful furniture banks in Atlanta and Houston. The DFB collects and stores usable, basic household furniture - cribs, beds, dressers, sofas, tables and chairs - through donations from the furniture industry, businesses, hotels, motels and individuals. Social service agencies who serve the homeless join the DFB for a $50 annual membership fee. They then refer their pre-qualified clients to us and we set up appointments for them to visit the DFB and “shop” for furniture at a small cost; most items can be purchased for $20 or less. As a perfect example of the Dallas Furniture Bank’s value, caseworkers at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas recently approached us seeking help with a critical growing problem: sending their most needy babies home without a crib to sleep in. It is a heartbreaking reality that some newborns get their first introduction to the
world by sleeping on a cold, hard floor. Luckily, the Dallas Furniture Bank is able to help by providing these much needed cribs. As a secondary benefit, the Dallas Furniture Bank’s system frees other agencies from the furniture collection and distribution function and its associated costs, allowing these agencies to focus on what they do best - direct service to their clients. By centralizing the solicitation, collection, and distribution of basic furniture to serve low-income families and individuals, efficiencies will be realized, service duplication reduced and added value created. As a third benefit, the Dallas Furniture Bank provides a socially beneficial and environmentally sound means of managing surplus and discarded furniture. By providing a facility where furniture can be efficiently recycled, the Dallas Furniture Bank diverts thousands of pounds of furniture from already crowded landfills. This winwin method of helping families and communities has become a reality in the Dallas community. THE IMPACT OF THE DALLAS FURNTIURE BANK The Dallas Furniture Bank serves individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, women and children escaping domestic violence, families below the poverty line, victims of natural disasters, and others requiring emergency assistance in and around Dallas County. We serve those outside of Dallas County on a case-by-case basis. Since opening our doors in late 2003 we have served over 600 families representing a total of 2,400 children and individuals. In our first full two years of operation, the Dallas Furniture Bank has achieved a great deal of success:
1. Since opening in late 2003 the DFB has served over 600 families (a total of 2,400 individuals). 2. The DFB served 323 families in 2005 (approximately 1,292 individuals); almost 100 of these families were Hurricane Katrina evacuees. 3. DFB has developed relationships with and secured furniture from national corporations such as: list of
national furniture corporations. 4. The DFB secured and moved into donated office and warehouse space. 5. The DFB has established its first annual fundraising event “The Chairity Friendraiser” held at North Park Center each Spring. The event, currently in it’s second year, has raised over $100,000 for the DFB. 6. Our first paid Executive Director, Tina Morris, began employment on June 20, 2005. 7. The DFB has developed a website www.dallasfurniturebank.org to provide an information-sharing system with the community. 8. The DFB forged partnerships with 58 social service agencies in the Dallas area:
9. In the wake of the hurricane, the DFB managed approximately 1,200-1,500 calls within three weeks. 10. The DFB secured additional warehouse space at current location (approximately 8,200 sq.ft. additionally) to accommodate the additional furniture needed to serve evacuees. 11. The DFB received prominent coverage in The Dallas Morning News, and various other media have given maximum exposure to the DFB as one of the few agencies that provide furniture resources.
WHO WE SERVE The fastest growing segment of the homeless population both in Dallas and nationally is no longer individuals, but families. A census of the homeless, conducted by the City of Dallas and the Metro Homeless Alliance in January of 2005, documented 202 intact families living in shelters in 2005, up from 113 the year before. Another 229 families were living in temporary housing, up from 184 in 2004. Twenty-one families in the survey were living on the streets. And tonight, as they find a place to rest, they are cold and scared.
The average household size served by the DFB consists of four people with an average of 3 children. Sadly, the majority of the children served are younger than 10 and almost 20% are under the age of three. Many of our families are headed by single mothers raising their children on their own. In 2005 the Dallas Furniture Bank served approximately 323 families and approximately 969 children for a total of 1,292 people served. ETHNICITY African American American Indian Anglo/White Asian American Latino Hispanic Other NR* AGE RANGE 0-5 6-12 13-19 20-29 30-49 50-64 65 and over 45% 0% 24% 3% 15% 0% 13% 21% 44% 12% 7% 8% 5% 3% MARTIAL STATUS OF HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD Single Married Divorced Separated Widowed NR* GENDER Female Male 22% 21% 9% 6% 6% 36%
65% 35%
* NR (Not Reported) - means the referring agency or client did not report their information in this category.
Changing lives one bed at a time. . . A DFB success story!
Shelly (name changed), a bright young lady in her early 30’s, had her life turned upside down and found herself in desperate need of help. She is the eldest of three children, mother of two daughters (18 and 16 years old), and grandmother of an infant child. In 2004, Shelly’s mother died unexpectedly, she was left in a position she never thought she would be in . . . taking care of her brother, her children and a granddaughter. At that time, she was living in public housing and was immediately the sole provider for her many family members with little finances. Eventually, she found herself with only $2. Shelly was forced to seek help through other means. She entered the long-term transitional housing program at one of the DFB member agencies. Within a year, Shelly was working at an established company in the Dallas area and had saved enough to get an apartment. However, she didn’t have enough money to buy furniture for the apartment. With no beds to sleep in, no crib for the baby, and no table and chairs for which to dine on, the apartment was not yet a home. Through a referral from the member agency, Shelly was able to come and “shop” for basic household furniture pieces from the Dallas Furniture Bank to furnish her new apartment. Finally she and her family had the start of a new beginning! Later, when asked about how this had impacted her, she said “It took so much stress off of me because I knew I needed furniture, but I also knew I couldn’t afford to go into a store to buy it. This helped me get on my feet.” PROGRAM STAFF The Dallas Furniture Bank is led by a full-time Executive Director, Tina L. Morris, LMSW. Prior to joining the DFB in 2005, Tina who is a Licensed Master of Social Work, served as the Program Coordinator for Jacob’s
Ladder for five years. She has over eight years of experience working with underprivileged children and families in Dallas. Tina is joined by a full-time administrative/program assistant, a contracted, part-time grant writer, a warehouse manager and a warehouse assistant. We also have an active volunteer base that includes our Board of Directors and Advisory Board who support the Center through securing donated furniture, program planning, volunteering for our fundraiser, and helping promote the DFB. DALLAS FURNITURE BANK PROGRAM GOALS In order to achieve our mission to provide furniture that meets basic living needs to families and individuals in need, the Dallas Furniture Bank (DFB) developed the following goals: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Provide furniture to a minimum of 300 families representing 1,200 children and individuals per year. Increase the amount of donated furniture by 25% in 2006. Pursue $50,000 in additional funding from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Actively engage and involve Dallas Furniture Bank Board of Directors in advancing the goals of the DFB. Increase Dallas Furniture Bank’s visibility in the community.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES/BENEFIT TO DALLAS COUNTY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Reduction in the homeless population in Dallas. Reduction in the crime rate in Dallas. Families served will realize improved family functioning. Families served will have improved access to social services. Because of home stability, employment rates will go up in those served and they will be able to keep jobs for longer time periods. The DFB’s partner agencies’ resources will be freed up, allowing them to focus on what they do best - direct service to their clients. By providing a facility where furniture can be efficiently recycled, the DFB diverts thousands of pounds of furniture from already crowded landfills. Building healthy children that eventually become productive members of society. Within a positive home environment, children will have better school attendance and do better academically.
10. By providing a positive and safe home environment for children; we promote family stability and unity, and help increase the mental, emotional and physical health in the children served.
11. With stress decreased in the family, there will also be decreased risk factors for child abuse and neglect. EVALUATION AND SUCCESS To ensure the Dallas Furniture Bank’s program is of the highest quality and effectiveness to those we serve, we follow a rigorous evaluation process using a combination of internal and external methods. The findings are then incorporated into program planning. Finally, there is an annual process of comparing accomplishments and program outcomes with program objectives and the overall mission of the Dallas Furniture Bank. Detailed records are kept on the following outcome measures: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Number of families and individuals served, with date of service Demographics of those served Number of social service agencies served Number and types of furniture that has been received Number and types of furniture that has been distributed and to whom Client satisfaction
COLLABORATION HIGHLIGHTS Collaboration is a hallmark of the Dallas Furniture Bank’s program. Inherent in service provision is resource referral, and the DFB stands as a navigator for clients needing services. Not only is the DFB a member of the National Furniture Bank Association (NFBA), but we have established partnerships with 58 local agencies serving the homeless. In addition we have strong relationships with national corporations. Our partner agencies have called our program a “God-send” and said we have freed them from furniture collection and distribution and its associated costs, thereby allowing them to focus on what they do best - direct service to their clients. Two of our partner agencies had this to say about the DFB:
"The Dallas Furniture Bank fills a huge gap in services and is a major resource for homeless families in our community. Its positive impact reaches far beyond the provision of material things, it lifts ones spirit and gives one hope. " Barbara R. Landix, Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless "The Furniture Bank has been a great partner in helping us leverage the furniture that we are to provide to the victims of family violence working to build safer, more independent lives." Julie Murdock, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, The Family Place
PARTNER AGENCY LIST List of partner agencies BUDGET/FUNDING A detailed organization budget is attached. List of major donors Major supporters of the DFB include the following:
The Dallas Furniture Bank and its Board of Directors have made our program a priority and are committed to securing future funding for our agency. We utilize all our fund development avenues to secure funding including grants from individuals, organizations, foundations and corporations. In addition, we have an annual gala that helps supplement income when necessary. DONOR RECOGNITION At the DFB, we have many ways we publicize and recognize the generosity of our donors. We will be happy to work with you on an individual basis to ensure you get the publicity and promotional plan tha t meets your needs. DONOR BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Press release announcing gift released to news media • Membership in DFB’s giving society • Exclusive plaque commemorating your generous gift • Visibility on DFB website • Opportunity for personal tour of the Dallas Furniture Bank DALLAS FURNITURE BANK HISTORY The Dallas Furniture Bank was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Texas in October of 2002 and was approved as an independent 501(c)3 organization in December of 2002. We officially opened our
doors for business in late 2003. The establishment of a furniture bank for Dallas has been led by Sheryl Fields Bogen and Jerry Szor. Ms. Bogen, a community volunteer with more than twenty-five years of experience, has been involved in serving the homeless population and others in need in both Houston and Atlanta. Upon her return to Dallas in 1998, she served on the board of the Vogel Alcove Daycare Center for Homeless Children and recognized the void in the continuum of services provided to families in need. Jerry Szor, also an active community volunteer, has brought his solid business expertise to the formation of the Dallas Furniture Bank. The Dallas Furniture Bank is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of 23 community and business leaders. Board members assist with implementing and evaluating the Dallas Furniture Bank’s program, setting and achieving financial goals, catalyzing other community volunteers to aid the Dallas Furniture Bank, and helping the Dallas Furniture Bank strategize for the future. SUMMARY There are thousands of individuals and families attempting to better themselves by establishing a home. Unfortunately, many of these people cannot afford even the most basic pieces of furniture that provide the nurturing, comforting environment necessary for success. This is where the Dallas Furniture Bank comes in. Since opening our doors in late 2003, we have helped more than 600 families and individuals transition into a brighter future by providing basic furniture for their home. We have changed lives, and are continuing to change lives with each table, chair, bed and crib we deliver to a family in need. But our work is far from done. If even one child in Dallas sleeps on the floor tonight we must continue. But we cannot do it without your help. Your support in the form of a grant in the amount of $5,000 will underwrite the cost of providing furniture to 20 families in critical need as they embark on a new life in a home of their own. We sincerely hope you will choose to grant the full amount, but we welcome your support at any level you select.
Attachments
1. Dallas Furniture Bank Board of Directors 2. IRS 501 C-3 letter 3. DFB 2006 budget 4. IRS Form 990 5. Financial audit 6. DFB Program brochure 7. “Furniture needed for new homes”, The Dallas Morning News, 09/21/05 8. “Agency helps furnish a future for the needy”, The Dallas Morning News, 03/31/05 9. DFB photos 10. Thank You letters from DFB clients
2006 DALLAS FURNITURE BANK OPERATING BUDGET
REVENUE Corporate contributions Delivery fees Foundation grant support Fundraising events (gross) Furniture sales (Gross) Individual contributions Interest Membership fees TOTAL REVENUE
$
5,000 8,000 120,000 55,000 20,000 10,000 1,500 2,700
$ 222,200
EXPENSES Accounting/audit/legal services Bank service charges Facilities utilities Facilities repair/maintenance Fundraising consultant Fundraising event expenses Fundraising supplies and postage Furniture purchased Insurance Office supplies and equipment Phones/internet Pick-up/delivery contract labor Professional dues Vehicles fuel Vehicles lease/rental Vehicles repair/maintenance Salaries & benefits Security services/alarm Staff development Warehouse supplies/equipment Website development/maintenance Contingency/Misc. TOTAL EXPENSES NET OPERATING INCOME $ 5,000 250 3,600 2,500 8,200 5,000 1,500 8,000 12,000 8,500 4,200 20,000 750 1,680 1,500 2,500 117,298 2,500 500 5,000 10,000 2,500 $222,978 ($778)
DALLAS FURNITURE BANK BOARD OF DIRECTORS
List of Board members and their affiliations.
DALLAS FURNITURE BANK ADVISORY BOARD
List of Advisors and their affiliations.
July 20, 2006 Mr. J.R. Dallas Director Dallas Family Foundation 11511 Luna Rd. Dallas, TX 75234 Dear Foundation Trustees, Imagine a family with no home, no shelter, starting each day not knowing where they will be at its end. There are at least 9,000 individuals and families in Dallas who face this; they have no place to sleep tonight. Forty-eight percent of the homeless in Dallas are women and children, the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Now imagine the family – armed with an amazing will to escape the streets and aided by what our social services can offer – makes it out. They leave behind the streets, the shelters, and the fear to embark on a new journey of selfsufficiency and, at last, permanent housing. The parents feel a triumph at providing a roof over their children’s heads, but then face the sad fact that, for them, furniture is a luxury. This story is all too common for Dallas’ homeless. They pinch pennies, learn skills, and do whatever it takes to gain employment and get the necessary cash for food and rent – but there is usually no money left over. As a result, 75% of the families and individuals in transition have no furniture whatsoever. Children sleep on hard, uncomfortable floors. Families dine without tables, pressing their backs against kitchen walls, huddled together without any chairs. This is where we come in. The Dallas Furniture Bank (DFB) is the only independent, non-profit agency in Dallas County whose mission is to provide furniture that meets basic living needs to families and individuals who are transitioning out of homelessness, or to others who are in need. The demand for our services grows daily. Dallas shelters and other social agencies are facing unprecedented needs and even greater pressure to support a homeless population that has grown at up to 17% in a seven-month span. The effects of Hurricane Katrina which hit the Gulf
Coast last August greatly impacted our service abilities. Since opening our doors in late 2003, DFB has served over 600 families representing 2,400 children and individuals. In 2006 alone we have experienced a drastic 200% increase in the amount of families and individuals seeking our help. Currently we are still assisting Hurricane Katrina evacuees who have been anxiously waiting to receive service from us since last year. On top of this, we still receive new calls daily from our regular clients as well as additional evacuees requesting our service. In order to meet the needs of these families trying to get back on their feet, we need your help. At this time, the Dallas Furniture Bank would like to request a grant of $5,000 from J.R. Dallas Family Foundation so that we can provide approximately 20 families (80 individuals total) with the help they so desperately need. We have changed lives, and are continuing to change lives with each table, chair, bed and crib we deliver to a family in need. But our work is far from done. If even one child in Dallas sleeps on the floor tonight we must continue. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide additional information, answer your questions or give you a tour of our facility. Thank you so much for your time and consideration of this request. Sincerely,
Tina L. Morris, LMSW Executive Director