FURNISHING DIGNITY
Making a House a Home
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The lack of home furnishings for individuals and families transitioning out of shelter or foster care services is a common issue and gap within our continuum of safety net services for our community's most vulnerable populations. While many of these individuals or families have successfully completed their case plans to leave shelter or foster care on their pathway to self-reliance, the struggle to furnish an entire apartment or home creates added financial burdens for these still vulnerable individuals/families. They often have 4 walls, a roof, a floor and little else. Furnishing Dignity provides essential home furnishings and accessories to transform a barren place into a safe, functional, and comfortable home for all. This includes but is not limited to a kitchen table and chairs to share meals on, a sofa to relax on, dresser drawers to unpack and protect one's belongings, and new beds and pillows for a good night's sleep. These are basic comforts we believe everyone deserves.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Home Furnishings
The need addressed is the lack of home furnishings, and most importantly beds, for clients transitioning out of shelter or foster care. While other organizations can provide temporary shelter, they do not have the funds to purchase home furnishings. Furnishing Dignity’s singular mission is to do just that; to successfully transition individuals into homes furnished with necessities at no cost, thereby decreasing stress on communities, social welfare and healthcare systems.
Furnishing Dignity receives applications for assistance from individuals who meet two criteria: 1) The individuals were homeless or experienced a recent crisis, and 2) The individuals survive at or below federal low income guidelines. A qualification criteria checklist and application/wish list are completed over the phone. If the individual qualifies, a home visit is conducted to assess residency and determine basic items necessary for comfort. Potential items may include beds, dressers, kitchen and bath items, couches, chairs, dining sets, and small home furnishings (lamps, rugs, etc.). Most items provided are “like new”, donated by community members, but mattress sets and pillows are purchased new. Once the needs assessment is complete, Furnishing Dignity schedules a delivery date and relies heavily on community volunteers to accomplish the packing and delivery of household items. Deliveries typically take place 2 days per week. Additionally, Furnishing Dignity has secured partnerships with two moving companies that donate a staff time and a delivery truck to assist with moves.
Furnishing Dignity partners with organizations such as UMOM, Circle the City, Save the Family, Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, Phoenix Rescue Mission, St. Vincent de Paul Most Holy Trinity Council, St. Vincent de Paul St. Benedict Council, Tumbleweed, and A New Leaf. Partners assist clients with permanent, affordable housing, but do not have resources for furnishings. Furnishing Dignity relieves the stress of transition by assisting with basic needs.
Client demographics: Ethnicity – 46% African American, 28% Caucasian, 21% Hispanic/Latino, 3% American Indian, 1% Multi-Racial and 1% Other; Ages – 0-5 years 21%, 6-11 years 25%, 12-15 years 10%, 16-24 years 10%, 25-44 years 25%, 45-64 years 4%, and 65+ years 5%; and of clients served 63% were female and 37% male.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of households that retain permanent housing for at least 6 months
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Home Furnishings
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Metrics are percentages of people served and who were available for outcomes tracking.
Number of households furnished
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Home Furnishings
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2020 saw a reduced # of households + individuals served due to COVID19, mandatory stay on evictions, smaller households. Increasing otherwise. Individuals: 2020/355, 2019/508 2018/389, 2017/431
Number of homeowners/tenants rating their feeling of safety in and around their homes as satisfactory
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Home Furnishings
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This is a new tracking metric for 2017.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Furnishing Dignity's current goals are multi-fold. Since 2014, our agency has continued to experience steady but significant growth to meet the ongoing demand of those it serves. As such, our organizational goals reflect the need for continued growth to meet the demand for our services, board expansion and diversity, and funding diversification that that will support our long-term sustainability and future expansion.
Goal #1 – Increase Operational Capacity and Infrastructure.
Currently operating out of eight storage units in Ahwatukee, Furnishing Dignity seeks to receive via in-kind donation space, purchase or lease a 10,000 sq.ft. commercial warehouse space for a reasonable price in order to maximize its program operations by working more efficiently and effectively. Our ideal commercial warehouse will be located in the Phoenix Southeast Valley, air conditioned and in close proximity to the 1-10 or 202 East freeways. This will allow Furnishing Dignity to combine all of its inventory into one organized and preferably air conditioned space as well as extend the use of volunteers to the summer months when it is typically too hot to work without air conditioning. Obtaining more community partners who refer clients as well as local businesses willing to support our mission through a financial commitment, sponsorship or community service.
Goal #2 – Develop and secure talent by way of board members, volunteers and development committee members to fill specific organization needs. Goals, objectives and benchmarks on the strategic plan will be addressed by individual board members, other volunteers, and committee members, matching organization goals and needs with each person's particular skill sets and desires. This will increase the probability that goals will be worked for and met.
Goal #3 - Continue to build brand awareness through a comprehensive marketing plan. This will include engaging industry leaders in marketing and social media to ensure our messaging accurately portrays our community impact on those we serve as well as the why the need for donations is critical to our mission. Clarifying that while in-kind donations help provide the furnishings we offer free of charge to our clients, financial donations enable us to actually do the work of picking up, sanitizing, organizing furniture and accessories, coordinating staff and volunteers and ultimately delivering complete home furnishings to those on their pathway to self-reliance.
Goal #4 – Develop a deep, diversified funding base. Staff will work closely with the Board of Directors to create a budget for both income and expenses that is responsible, diversified, realistic, and achievable. Income goals will address funding streams from corporations, foundations, individuals, in kind, grants and other indirect support. Review and update annual fundraising plan and adjust campaigns/strategies when necessary.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
It is through our dedicated staff and volunteers, engaged Board of Directors, and community of supporters that will help us achieve our strategic goals and secure our long-term sustainability.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Furnishing Dignity, via its board members, partners, community support, and volunteers, works efficiently and effectively to address the most pressing needs of the organization.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Furnishing Dignity has been able to partner with storage facilities, moving companies, and real estate agencies to meet some of the goals and objectives on our strategic plan. This continues to have a positive impact on our program and services. We have expanded our Board of Directors to include two new community professionals, including a new marketing professional. We have successfully recruited a social media volunteer to support a more consistent social media presence, branding and messaging. We are actively engaged in a search for a larger commercial warehouse space. Lastly, Furnishing Dignity continues to diversify its revenue streams with new corporate and foundation supporters as well as increased support from existing funding partners.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
FURNISHING DIGNITY
Board of directorsas of 03/27/2023
Nina Targovnik
Community Legal Services
Term: 2021 - 2020
Nina Targovnik
Community Legal Services
Robert Burghart
Raymond James
Lori Wilson
Intel
Sheryl Bergersen
YAM Worldwide
Tracy Powers
USAA
Ken Sherman
GOPRO Local
Dean Sulzer
Tatum Insurance
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/30/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.