Stephanie E. And Her Family Feel A Glow of Hope This Holiday Season

With the holidays approaching, Stephanie feels a glow of hope, and furnishing her home with Bridging is a big part of that.

Stephanie, a mom to three children, reached out to a local workforce center to find resources for furnishing the empty apartment she had recently secured for her family. After losing her job and spending months unhoused, she was slowly but surely moving on the path to housing stability.

Workforce Development, a Bridging agency partner, told Stephanie about Bridging, a furniture bank that provides a foundational home set up to people who need it. Stephanie was thrilled to learn about Bridging and relieved that the Workforce Development would cover the shopping fee. Stephanie asked her caseworker to schedule her appointment.

When Stephanie walked in the doors of Bridging, her experience far surpassed her expectations. She immediately felt seen and understood by the staff and volunteers. These feelings of dignity and warmth have stayed with Stephanie long after her appointment.

“We’ve been going through hard times. When I came in, everyone was so welcoming to me. They introduced themselves and said they were here to help me. They made eye contact. They were patient and flexible.”

Stephanie could not arrange childcare for her children that morning, so she shopped virtually on an Ipad, onsite at Bridging, while volunteer shoppers talked with her and showed her the furnishings in the warehouse.

“It really worked out. It was really efficient. They showed me the items, and I got what I needed. They started to sense what I liked, picked up what I liked, and it [the whole experience] built in momentum. They came back to talk to me and ask me if I had questions after the virtual appointment.”

Stephanie selected everything she needed for her home — including beds for her family, a couch, a kitchen table and chairs, dishes, pots and pans, pillows and bedding. Even a cubicle for her kids’ toys.

Elated about the incredible collection of household items she found, she worried about how she would pay for a truck to pick up her furnishings. She was determined to find resources to make it happen.

Later that same day, Stephanie figured out a plan. She found someone she could trust to watch her children. She picked up a truck and started her hour-plus drive back to Bridging to pick up her furniture. She was running late due to traffic, so she called the Bridging delivery office and left a voicemail to let them know she would arrive near closing time.

When she arrived, she hoped that Bridging would still be open. Stephanie walked through Bridging’s doors for the second time that day, just after closing time.

“I prayed that God would soften their hearts. The gentleman said, ‘We got your voice mail. We heard your situation.’ They were empathetic and compassionate and saw me as a human. It’s rare to find people who see you eye-to-eye in this work and in this fast paced world. They could slow down and see me. They waited for me to arrive, eight minutes past closing time. I got our furniture. They were so patient and kind.”

“What you are doing behind the scenes, everyone behind the scenes. The volunteers who shopped, the people that helped me in the warehouse, everyone. We came together, and it all really matters.

“Bridging is a puzzle piece of my life that came beside me and gave me opportunity. That understanding, from each person I met, gives me self-confidence. Now I am moving in the direction of consistency and financial stability.”

Stephanie and her family have been living in their home for more than a month now. She sees contentment in her children.

“Our house is lively and comforting.” The beds and the couch affect their day to day. I see more happiness in my kids. They say our home feels ‘super nice and happy.’ The beds make such a big difference for sleep. That provides for the foundation to have a good quality of life. We needed that.”

“And the couch, she says. “I have a vision of us sitting on the couch together around the holidays watching the snow fall.”