A housewarming drive to help the rising number of families in need of basic housing in Toronto

    TORONTO, July 21 /CNW/ - Furniture Bank, a long established Toronto
charity that provides gently used furniture and household items to abused
women and children, the homeless and refugees, and Toronto-based
1-800-Rid-Of-It Junk Removal announced today a partnership to furnish three
homes for the disadvantaged in the greater Toronto area. "It could not have
come at a better time, during a time when the economy and on going lack of
affordable housing are translating into heightened demand, especially from
families with children. We know demand for our services is up and these are
difficult economic times, which is why we've made this appeal. Once people are
housed, the dilemma that they are faced with is, do they buy a used bed to
sleep on, or groceries and keep sleeping on the floor?" says Sean Lockhart,
Resource Development Manager with Furniture Bank. Furniture Bank works with 40
agencies across the greater Toronto area, including the Salvation Army and
YWCA.
    Lockhart said there has been a 40 per cent increase this year over last
year in the number of people seeking furniture and household goods. In the
first six months of 2009, the Furniture Bank provided more than $415,000 worth
of furniture to people in need, which represents a 44 per cent increase over
the same time last year.
    The partnership's "Housewarming Drive" will become an annual event and is
appealing to the Toronto community to donate gently used furniture and
household items that will be picked up by 1-800-Rid-Of-It Junk Removal free of
charge on Wednesday July 22nd and Thursday July 23rd. Items that are most
helpful are kitchen tables & chairs, sofas/easy chairs, beds, dressers and
pots and pans, all gently used or in excellent quality.
    "We know from pick-ups and talking with customers that there are loads of
old dressers and chairs collecting dust. It's time to give them a better use,"
said Mike McKee, president of 1-800-Rid-Of-It Junk Removal.
    He said people can call 1-800-Rid-Of-It Junk Removal and a team will
arrive to pick-up the used furniture on Wednesday and Thursday.

For further information: Sean Lockhart, Resource Development Manager,
Furniture Bank, [phone]; Mike McKee, President of 1-800-Rid-Of-It Junk
Removal, [phone]