Furniture arrives at new apartment for mom who was homeless
One by one, the pieces of furniture carried by volunteers start making their way up the elevator and down the breezeway to Naquisha Taylor's new apartment.
Taylor, a mom of four children who has been homeless in recent years, is moving into an apartment with three bedrooms. It will be perfect for the kids, but it was empty, just like her previous apartment.
Taylor's is one of the 11 featured families in this year's Statesman Season for Caring program. All the families are nominated by a local nonprofit, which then uses donations to help hundreds of families it serves. Taylor was nominated by Caritas of Austin, which helps prevent homelessness.
Learn more:How to help families through the Statesman Season for Caring program
On Wednesday, an email alert with a Statesman Season for Caring story about this mom's need for furniture went out. Readers responded.
That day, they went to Taylor's wish list on Amazon and bought furniture for her. They called Caritas of Austin to offer furniture. And the Move-in Ministry at St. Martin's Lutheran Church went into action.
The ministry, which started about five years ago, has been picking up furniture and household items from congregants and the community and delivering them to folks in need. It's concentrated mainly on two groups of people: kids served by Upbring who have aged out of foster care and people helped by Refugee Services of Texas.
On Thursday, one day after the email, Taylor became the ministry's 111th delivery. Volunteers have helped about 77 former foster children; 30 refugees, mostly from Afghanistan; and a few other families they've heard about.
Read more: Naquisha Taylor: Mother rebuilding family life after homelessness
"These are things people are proud to use," volunteer Bob Daemmrich said of the furniture the ministry delivers.
It's had luck with an Airbnb company going out of business and donating furniture. It's connected with estates getting rid of furniture. In Taylor's case, the furniture came from a family that had just resettled the father in a senior living center two months before he died. Much of it was practically new.
"We were happy to help Caritas," said Susan Jensen, who began the ministry as part of a leadership project. "It's such a nice thing.
"We have fun, and we're helping somebody. We're recycling."
The ministry was able to load Taylor's apartment with a comfy chair, six dining room chairs (a dining room table is coming in a later delivery), end tables and side tables for the bedrooms, a desk and a TV stand. Another donor will deliver a couch soon. Next week, Factory Mattress will deliver new beds for the family.
Most of Taylor's furniture needs have been squared away. The family still could use some dressers. Through her Amazon wish list, she has received many household items.
Her biggest needs are a gently used car, laptops for the kids to do homework, bedding, blankets and pillows, and gift cards for Target, Walmart, H-E-B, Amazon, Uber and Lyft.
To find out more about the Taylor family or to give an item on its wish list, contact Caritas of Austin, 512-621-9327, caritasofaustin.org.
A few more Season for Caring families need furniture:
Araceli Ramirez, 49, has stage 4 breast cancer and is cared for by her 22-year-old son, Jesus. They need a dining room table and chairs, new living room furniture, nightstands and outdoor furniture. (Breast Cancer Resource Center, 512-524-2560, bcrc.org)
Juana Betancurt, 38, a mom of seven whose husband was deported for domestic violence, needs a couch, bunk beds, dressers, a dining room table and eight chairs, and lamps. (SAFE Alliance, 512-665-1858, safeaustin.org)
Anatole Lee, 58, who had a traumatic brain injury as well as seeing his employment as a security guard affected by the pandemic, needs a desk, a comfy chair and a recliner. (Family Eldercare, 512-450-0844, familyeldercare.org)
Leslie Romero, 33, who has five children, one of which has had multiple surgeries, needs a toddler bed and a kid's dresser. (Any Baby Can, 512-276-8199, anybabycan.org)
The Kemokai family, which now lives in an RV in Granger because of rent increases, would like artist's desks and a standing chair. (Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, 512-541-4226; myhaam.org)
How to donate to Season for Caring
Find the daily coupon in print on Page 2B or go to statesman.com/seasonforcaring.
Now through Christmas Day, $500,000 in donations will be matched by the Sheth family.
The Driskill hotel's Cookies for Caring cookie tins are on sale at exploretock.com/thedriskillaustin.
To donate:Use the form below or click here: https://statesmansfc.kimbia.com/statesmanseasonforcaring
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Season for Caring mom gets new furniture
