Furniture donations down at Edmonton aid societies
While sales of used furniture are booming online, local support agencies that rely on furniture donations are feeling the pinch.
"It's been about a month since we got a furniture donation," said Dalia Abdellatif, a support worker for the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society (EERSS).
"Winter is sometimes worse, but not as bad as this year."
The EERSS runs the Peacock Boutique thrift shop in downtown Edmonton.
The store has a furniture room that's typically full of second-hand couches, dining sets, chairs and tables, but staff are now in the process of filling the space with clothing because there's no furniture coming in.
The society helps victims of fires and natural disasters with free home supplies, then provides free furniture once those in need find new housing.
The agency most recently led a push to help re-furnish homes for Fort McMurray fire victims. It also helps furnish homes for newcomers to Canada.
Long waitlists
While the EERSS helps about 200 families a year, right now 30 families are on a waitlist because there's no furniture to give out.
"We need couches and table and chairs. This is the first thing that every family asks for," said Abdellatif.
"I think it's a little bit of dignity, humanity. You cannot sit on the floor, you cannot eat on the floor. So if you have at least a small table and chair to eat on for your kids, for your family, and a small couch to sit on, that's the basics."
Although Alberta's economy was on pace for 6.7 per cent growth in 2017, Abdellatif thinks people aren't buying new things, which means they don't have anything to donate.
"We get this furniture from donations, from people. That's what we're relying on."
The Find thrift store, run by Homeward Trust in Edmonton, is also seeing a drop in donations.
Like the Peacock Boutique, the Find store has a dual purpose: retail sales to bolster its agency, and free furniture giveaways to people in need.
The store helps furnish homes for clients of Housing First, a city program that's part of Edmonton's 10-year plan to end homelessness.
Since 2009, the Housing First program has found homes for more than 6,500 people, according to the city. The program aims to house 4,000 more people over the next three years.
"That means a lot of furniture," said Cindi Cunningham, spokesperson for Homeward Trust.
"We have clients that are coming every day to pick out furniture and we want to make sure they have everything they need to get started."
Housing First clients can can pick from a list of basic furnishings, but they also get a few extras like wall art and tea kettles.
Client Geoffrey Paupanakis is happy with what he picked out earlier this week with his three-year-old son.
He and his two young kids were living in a hotel until he received help from Homeward Trust last year.
"I come here and pick out what I want … it's very important to me. It makes home more comfortable," said Paupanakis.
Both stores accept walk-in donations or an appointment can be made for at-home pick ups.
