Before CFR, we used to place households into their new housing units with a few scattered pots and pans and a handful of towels and cleaning supplies. Families and individuals would be so excited to have a place of their own, they wouldn’t necessarily think to ask, “how long will we have to sleep on the floor on blankets?”

We’d make the appropriate referrals for furniture, clients would wait on a list, and then have no means to move their new couch or beds to their homes. So, they’d be stuck, again, between paying their bills and renting a moving van, or paying a friend to haul their new furniture. The relief on a client’s face when we tell them that we have this partnership where their home is furnished and delivered by amazing volunteers, is something I look forward to.

That conversation when I say, “start keeping your list of household needs now!” is my favorite one to have, well second favorite to, “let’s go sign your lease!” CFR provides our clients the opportunity to start again, in a home. A real home instead of a place that’s empty and just a place for now. But a home that can be for as long as they want or need. The best part is that CFR genuinely cares about our client’s story and their experiences. They don’t just get a list of items and drop them off. Our clients get to be heard, to be empowered to tell and own their raw experiences.

That is the partnership Willis Dady has with CFR, the partnership to take our clients to the next level in their self-sufficiency and self-reliance. The opportunity and encouragement to start again; to start better.

Alicia Faust, Executive Director