Hearts To Homes Furnishings Inc

We seek, primarily to improve the statistics for housing instability. Related to that, we seek to improve on the statistics for mothers who age out as parents themselves. Up to 50% of those young parents will lose their own children into a cycle of intergenerational foster care.

We recognize that it is very easy to walk away from an empty apartment. But when your apartment is furnished (living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen), the pride you feel in your home is something that can encourage you to work toward the goals that allow you to stay in place. Empty apartments lead to feelings of isolation. Hearts to Homes recipients report feeling that they are proud to have a place to gather. Having the tools to prepare a meal means that you do not have to eat fast food. Mental and physical health benefits follow when both of these are in place.

For a young adult who is aging out of foster care, a first apartment is expensive and requires a great deal of effort to put together. Both can be roadblocks for a successful transition and a productive life. Many foundations and organizations make funds available to improve the odds of success for a young adult aging out of foster care. Job training, mentoring and financial literacy are examples of additional programming assistance that help to increase these odds. Hearts to Homes believes that it is a necessary and unique complement to these programs. After all, it is hard to be successful at a job without access to the items that help you to be presentable on the job – items like an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer or a shower curtain!

We seek to provide these young adults with the same items that we might help a son, daughter, or friend acquire. Our process is a virtual housewarming party, where we offer each young adult over 80 "essential" household items.

We utilize social media and board relationships, in addition to foundation support, to educate others about the issues faced by young adults aging out of foster care. Those who are interested in supporting our mission of assistance to these young adults, can contribute either money or specific items that are listed on a "housewarming registry." Links to our donation portal and/or our housewarming registries are found on our website.

We partner with specific foster care agencies who refer their young adults to us for assistance by means of the completion of a "First Home Wish List." Partner agencies, in exchange, agree to deliver all donated items to the young adult, provide physical and emotional assistance to the young adult at the time of the delivery, share social media specifically related to any fundraising efforts for a young adult from their agency, and - most importantly - maintain communication with these young adults such that the agency will be able to give Hearts to Homes an annual stability report for a period of five years.

Our program is singularly focused - providing these essentials has been shown to increase housing stability significantly. In the system as children or teens, these young adults leave the system for a time, and too frequently re-enter the system when they end up homeless or incarcerated or lose their own children into foster care. We have demonstrated that by filling a home with "essential" furnishings, stability improves in all of these areas.

Hearts to Homes is a 100% volunteer-led organization. Volunteers run day-to-day activities, including marketing and donor relations. Volunteers also continually check our Wish List items to ensure that we are getting the best quality of item at a value price point. Every board member is active in helping fulfill Hearts to Homes mission and takes on either marketing, fundraising or financial responsibility and oversight.

The cost to fully furnish an apartment at retail is $3,400. With discounts provided, the cost to fully furnish an apartment is $3,000. Since not every young adult needs every item, the average price to furnish an average apartment is just $2,400. (Data as of September 2022.)

To date (April 1, 2023), Hearts to Homes has assisted 451 young adults. In addition to that number are the 150 babies and young children who indirectly received Hearts to Homes assistance when we provided essential home furnishings and furniture to their parents.

66% of our recipients live in public housing or utilize vouchers. 26% reside in Manhattan; 29% reside in the Bronx; 24% in Brooklyn; 10% in Queens; 2% in Staten Island; 4% in Westchester County and 5% in other locations, generally in the NYC-metropolitan area.

We presently accept referrals from 26 organizations who identify those in need and refer them to us for support: Abbott House, Cardinal McCloskey Community Services, CASC-NYC, Catholic Guardian Services, City Livin NY, FCA Project Independence, Forestdale, Foster Teen Employment Network, Good Shepherd Services, Graham Windham, HeartShare St. Vincent's, JCCA, Little Flower Children & Family Services, Lutheran Social Services (NY), Martin de Porres Youth & Family Services, MercyFirst, NAFI, New Alternatives for Children, The Children's Village, The New York Foundling, Rising Ground, Rockland County DSS, SCO Family of Services, Seamen's Society, St. Dominic's Family Services, St. John's Residence for Boys.

In addition, we have offered services but not yet provided assistance to: Poughkeepsie Children's Home, Family Services of Westchester, Ohel Children's Home & Family Services, Cayuga Centers, and Children's Aid Society.

What’s Next?

We will continue to expand our service to other organizations in the geographic area we cover as well as expand our referral criteria to the extent possible and as determined to be sustainable from donations.