HOUSE N2 HOME
Creating spaces
for families to thrive in
who we are
We are a group of volunteers from southeast Michigan who help to provide furnishings for people in our area who are moving out of homeless shelters and into rental housing. We began in 2017 as a small group of friends working together to furnish a home for one single mom and her children.
Inspired by that experience, and by the need in our community, we have grown to over two dozen volunteers and have completely furnished the homes of 60 families coming out of shelters in Washtenaw County.
what we do
The process begins when we are informed by a caseworker from one of the local shelters that an individual or family is moving out of the shelter and into a local house or apartment and needs our services. Next, we meet with the clients to assess their needs and to evaluate the space they will be moving into. Then, we begin pulling the appropriate furniture and household items from our inventory and make a plan for move-in day. Finally, a team of volunteers complete the home makeover, placing the furniture and other items in just the right spot for the final reveal!
how we do it
Something like this doesn't happen without a lot of people chipping in. For example, our "inventory" consists of high-quality second-hand furnishings collected from friends, garage sales, local thrift stores, online free offerings, and charitable donors. All of it is stored locally thanks to the generous support of Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti.
why we do it
how you can help
Because we function entirely through volunteers, we always need more helpers. Come join us! We need people to collect donations, we need people to clean and organize the furnishings, and we need people to do the actual move-ins. Come be one of those people. You can also help in other ways. For example, you can donate high-quality gently used items, anything that might be helpful in turning a house into a home.
We believe that one step in restoring dignity to a family who has endured homelessness is to help them create a home that is functional, comfortable, and inviting. Using donated, and occasionally purchased, furniture and household goods, our team helps to convert a house (or apartment) into a real home--a space in which a family can thrive, without having to worry about where they will sit, sleep, or eat their meals.