Fresh Start Furniture Bank Receives Large Donation From Local Company

For Fresh Start Furniture Bank in Hudson, every day is a new opportunity to help a local family in need of making a house a home. On Tuesday Long Automative was kind enough to give those who put so much work into helix others a hand themselves.

In celebration of their 90th anniversary, Long Automotive is offering a $10,000 grant to one lucky charitable organization, and Fresh Start Furniture Bank is one of the 10 finalists. Going above and beyond, Long also agreed to donate 100 pillows to Fresh Start as it is one of their most needed items.

“Many of these people, if you’re just starting off, and you don’t furniture-you don’t have pillows,” says Sue Wadby, Director of Fresh Start Furniture Bank. “You’re sleeping on an air mattress on the floor with nothing. If you don’t have a pillow, how do you have a good night’s sleep? If you don’t have a good night’s sleep, how are you a good student? How are you a productive citizen? How do you go to work?”

Fresh Start Furniture Bank started in April of 2013, and with the help of now over 75 active volunteers and over 230 agencies offering referrals, the team is able to provide a fresh start to families in need. Wadby, her husband Jeff and their team take the time and care to collect donations, process them, repair any items damaged in transit, and keep the showroom organized.

“We give one fresh start,” Wadby says. “After that, they have to get their feet beneath them because otherwise the same people will keep coming back and there’s no way to break that cycle of poverty.” Wadby explains that their passion is being able to offer others a second chance, from Veterans both young and old to victims of fire, mental illness, and those fallen on financial hardship.

To learn more about how you can volunteer or donate to Fresh Start Furniture Bank, visit freshstartfurniturebank.org.