One day Delah packed up and left Chicago, coming to Cedar Rapids looking for a fresh start. With two little boys, a four-year-old and a one-year-old, she arrived with nothing and ended up in a shelter. Her caseworker helped arrange housing and put Delah in contact with Central Furniture Rescue (CFR).
“We were on mattresses, and then CFR brought everything. It was just a blessing,” said Delah. “We all got beds, even a crib for the baby, and this little loveseat couch that I love. It’s emerald, which is my birthstone.”
In addition to the furniture, CFR also delivered pots and pans, bedding, and stuffed animals, which made Delah’s four-year-old excited. “Now he has his own room, with his own bed, and his own stuff,” she said.
The CFR volunteers mean more to Delah than just people who helped her during a time of need. “I still talk to some of the volunteers,” says Delah. “They are a really special group of people. They are genuine and sweet. I love the fact that months later they still reach out and checkup on us.” In fact, the volunteers are some of the few people Delah has met since moving to the area, as she stays very busy between working and being home with her kids.
Delah is excited to be in Iowa. “This is a wonderful place to raise a family,” she said.
She would also recommend CFR to anyone in need of furniture without their own means. “They are an awesome organization. Truly a blessing for my family and me.”