Giving back is part of our Internship Program

Jordan Bruce: The Furniture Bank

Furniture Bank, a charitable organization founded by Sister Anne Schenk, is an organization that helps provide some of the more basic living necessities to underprivileged people in the Toronto area. The Furniture Bank collects and distributes gently used furnishings and other household items to people who are re-establishing their homes but haven’t the financial means to purchase even the most basic items – for example, beds, kitchen tables and chairs.

The Furniture Bank serves individuals and families who are leaving abusive situations, newcomers to Canada, and the homeless who are starting over. The Furniture Bank also operates a pick-up and delivery service called Furniture Link -- a Social Purpose Enterprise that employs people from the Ontario Disability Support Program, as well as people with limited employment opportunities. As part of Ecclesiastical's Business Intern program, I spent 6 weeks at Furniture Bank assisting them in improving their tracking procedures and helping to tackle various risk management issues. I learned a tremendous amount from my experience, including both the very rewarding nature of charitable work and the unique challenges faced by these organizations. If you are interested in donating furniture or volunteering, please see their website for further details.