Posted: Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:00 am
You may be eligible for assistance from a mid-valley nonprofit
By Cathy Ingalls
Albany Democrat-Herald
CORVALLIS - Operators of a free furniture distribution center in Corvallis want people in Albany and Linn County to know that if they qualify, they also can receive household goods at no cost.
The Benton Furniture Share at 155 S.E. Lilly Ave. is a nonprofit organization developed to provide quality, donated furniture to low-income households, said Michelle Maddux, the executive director. Recipients are referred to the center by churches, schools, shelters and social service agencies.
To qualify, a family of four can earn $20,450 a year or less and a single person can earn up to $14,300.
Last year, 1,131 individuals received 2,349 items. From July 1, 2007, to the latter part of this month, 3,543 items went to 1,478 people.
In 2006-07, 14 percent of those people lived in Linn County. During the past 11 months, 37 percent of the people served were from Linn County.
The center accepts furniture that is clean, has no stains, odors or pet hair, and has no rips, tears, gouges or cigarette burns.
Household items needed right now are washers and dryers, twin beds, tables, chairs, dressers, bunk beds and baby furniture.
People can deliver their unwanted furnishings between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and for a $10 fee, the items can be picked up during those same hours, Maddux said.
It has become a lot easier to make deliveries now that Blackledge Furniture of Corvallis has donated a delivery truck. Prior to that, the center relied on an employee's truck.
Furniture goes out as fast as it comes in, she said.
Right now at their warehouse space rented from Bertsch Moving & Storage Co., there are towers of sofas and chairs and rows of mattresses.
Benton Furniture Share was started in May 1998 by Ginger Govea and Carol Wotton.
On the job, Govea, a Realtor, observed a lot of usable furniture being left on curbs for garbage pick up after a house had sold, Maddux said.
Govea knew that there were low-income people going without beds, tables and chairs, so she thought the discarded furniture could be given to them.
Benton Furniture Share started in a private garage but has grown enough to require a warehouse.
The nonprofit agency is governed by a board of directors.
For more information or to volunteer at the center, call 754-9511.