Room & Board Partnership Thrives for Decades

07/12/2021 This post was written by Diana Dalsin

For more nearly three decades Bridging and Room & Board have been creating healthy and beautiful homes for their clients and customers. Whether they are donating furniture from customer returns, inviting us to participate in their Wellness Week, hosting a cleaning kit project or attending a fundraising event, they always give it 110% and continue to ask us how else they can support our needs!

During our 2021 Be The Bridge campaign, Room & Board has once again stepped up and offered to be our Match Partner for the Living Room . Thank YOU!

Nancy Greatrix Manley, Room & Board Director of Human Resources

Why is the Bridging partnership important to you?

For more than 20 years, Room & Board has supported Bridging. We support Bridging’s mission to empower people to thrive in their homes with good quality furniture and household goods.

Of equal importance, our relationship with Bridging has provided meaningful volunteer opportunities for our staff members.

Room & Board staff has participated in blanket and towel drives, collecting items that mean so much to those transitioning out of homelessness and poverty.

And just this spring, as our teams were able to start to gather again, we coordinated an opportunity to assemble Bridging Cleaning Kits at our Central Campus. It was a wonderful way to connect and give back and we’re looking forward to more opportunities to volunteer in person again.

How does your mission match with Bridging’s?

Home gives us stability and hope. When we started Room & Board 40 years ago, our vision was to help customers create homes they love. We share this vision with our friends at Bridging.

Respect is the cornerstone of our work with customers, staff and vendors. We are proud to know that dignity and respect are shared values between our organizations.

 

Deanna Edeh, Room & Board SAP Business Analyst and long-time volunteer of Bridging

When I first met Fran years ago, I connected with him right away and the mission of Bridging.  I have always felt it’s good to support others when you have the option and ability.  After meeting Fran, I was inspired to do even more.

One of the things I remember him asking me is how many towels do you have at home? And how many do you use on a weekly basis?  That evening I went home and looked at the towels I had and ended up donating over half of the towels I had.

I started supporting Bridging about 15 years ago (maybe longer).  Over the years I have supported Bridging in numerous ways:

  • I organized a Room & Board volunteer event at the Roseville and Bloomington locations.  At the Roseville location we organized furniture in the warehouse. At the Bloomington location we loaded delivery trucks.
  • I also had the opportunity to help when people came shopping there. To me this was truly a very humbling experience to walk through the warehouse with them and to hear and see how much they appreciate the opportunity to create a home for their family.
  • A few years ago, I was part of one of the Room & Board bed race teams.  It was one of my favorites events as it was fun to meet so many different people all out supporting Bridging.
  • Over the years when I have heard of neighbors and friends looking to places to donate things, I have recommended Bridging to them.
  • More recently over the last 18 months I used my garage as a place to collect items to bring to Bridging.  When I see someone post on Facebook or NextDoor asking for places to donate I have asked if I can go through their items and take the items that I know Bridging will take.  I have also posted on NextDoor from time to time letting them know about Bridging and letting them know if they have new or gently used items to donate to consider donating the items to Bridging.
  • Each quarter I also donate money as I know there are things that they need to purchase to fill some of the gaps for things that are needed to be able to provide hope for the families they serve.

 

Bridging is extremely grateful for the amazing support Room & Board has provided to ensure people can thrive in their homes!  Their support of the Be The Bridge event is just another shining example of how important partners and community are to our mission!

Call to Action

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As a supporter of Bridging, your donation provides life-changing support so individuals and families can create their own new beginnings, full of hope and possibility.

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