Amazon Wishlist
People often ask, how can I help? Two words…
AMAZON WISHLIST
Most of us order from Amazon on a daily basis. Would you consider purchasing items to help support our ministry? Your support helps furnish homes for families in need and ultimately allow us to be the hands of feet of Jesus. In Acts 20:35 we are told, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” When we live generously, our cups are filled by meeting the needs of others.
Some items on our list include:
-Lamps-Nightstands-Sheets-Comforters-Pots & Pans-Mattress Pads-
*When checking out, be sure to choose Fully Furnished Ministries as your shipping address so it can be sent straight to our warehouse*
Welcome Home Baskets
Making a house feel like a home can be a difficult task! When we fully furnish a home, we always leave a "Welcome Home Basket'' to bless the family we are serving. Baskets are filled with basic items needed to clean and maintain a home.
Creating a basket is a simple and practical way to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We love to see the creative and helpful things that you put in these baskets. It helps our families feel truly loved and cared for. Making welcome baskets is an easy way to serve with your Bible Study Groups, family, or even your friends! While a basket may seem small, it supports our ministry in a huge way!
Basket Ideas
Paper products: paper towels, toilet paper
Disinfecting supplies: clorox wipes, antibacterial spray
Kitchen and floor cleaners: swiffer, wood & tile floor cleaner
Toilet Bowl Cleaner: liquid or tablets
Dishwasher detergent: dish soap, liquid or tablets
Personal Care items: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant
Cleaning Tools: bucket, broom, mop, toilet brush, rubber gloves
Baskets can be dropped off at our warehouse. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out by emailing info@fullyfurnishedministries.org. We can’t wait for you to join us in serving our families in this simple and practical way.
Our Why!
As the Lord continues to bless our ministry, we have many new faces that have come alongside us to serve. We believe it’s important to share with you the mission and heartbeat of Fully Furnished Ministries.
Our mission is simple. Live and share the gospel through the gift of furniture. In 1 Timothy chapter 6, we are called “to be generous and willing to share." Fully Furnished provides others with the opportunity to put this verse into action.
As the only furniture bank north of US 285, the need to provide dignified living space for families is at an all-time high. Many have nothing more than a floor for a bed, four walls, and a roof to call their own. Fully Furnished was established in 2003 to change that! A group of volunteers came up with the simple idea of matching those desiring to give furniture away to those in need in a God-honoring way.
God has allowed our ministry to flourish over the past 19 years. Whether it’s through a donor, volunteer, partner, or recipient family, the name of Jesus is being shared. It is our hope and prayer that we continue to see homes furnished and hearts forever changed.
Are you in the Atlanta area and would you like to make a difference in the lives of others one family at a time? If so, come participate with us through volunteering, donating your used furniture, and partnering with us financially. Go to https://lnkd.in/gQg6Tvr2 to find out more
Serving together in love.
It’s a special thing to see a couple serve together in ministry, serving not only out of their individual love for Christ, but also together in their love for one another. So, we wanted to highlight 4 couples that have been volunteering with our ministry here at FFM on a regular basis…together!
To make a bit more fun, we gave them a short questionnaire to give us insight into their story as a couple and as FFM volunteers. Don’t miss out on these fun stories and details! Enjoy the read and consider serving together with your spouse, kids, and others in your life that you love. Click here to sign up: https://fullyfurnishedministries.org/volunteer.
Amira & Jason
1.) How long have you been married?
- We are going on 3 years of marriage.
2.) What’s your favorite date night?
- Our favorite date night is trying out a new restaurant in the Atlanta area.
3.) How long have you been serving together at Fully Furnished and in what area?
- We’ve been serving at FFM for 3 years and serve the moving department of the ministry.
4.) How did you start serving together?
- After taking pre-married life and during pre-married counseling, we realized serving together is something we felt was important to incorporate in our future marriage. We found FFM and decided to try it out. After our first time serving at FFM we loved purpose of the ministry and the rest is history.
5.) Why do you like to serve together?
- We like to serve together because it is a way for us to be together the whole day. During the week day we are both busy working and we don’t see each other until the evening. It is also a way for the both of us to look outside of ourselves, beyond our own problems, and make a positive difference on someone else life through FFM and ultimately through Christ.
6.) Share your favorite story/memory from serving together.
- We were at a delivery and the smiles on the family’s face was amazing! The family was recovering from a house fire and they were just so thankful to receive the furniture from FFM.
Mary & Merrill
1) How long have we been married?
- We recently celebrated 30 years.
2) What is your favorite date night?
- We love being outside, so going biking or hiking and then out for a casual dinner is a perfect evening.
3) How long have you been serving together at FFM and in which area do you serve?
- We’ve both been “around” the ministry for maybe 10+ years, as donors and on random volunteer projects with various groups. However, in the fall of 2019, while doing some furniture restoration work with Glenn Mahoney (board member and friend of Merrill) it came up that they needed better connections with current and new social service agencies (where furniture requests originate). Mary has a master’s in social work, so this was right up her alley and she jumped in connecting and surveying agencies on ways we could work better together. Shortly after Merrill was recruited to focus on the technical side of things. Since then, Jeff and Mary (Myers) keep finding new assignments (website, reporting, automation, flowcharts, videos) for us to tackle, and we keep accepting. Almost always we work on these together with each of us focusing on the part of the project that matches our skill set, and/or bouncing ideas off each other. We like it because we are always working on something new, we can do it together, and we get to see the impact of our work!
4) Why do you like to serve together and in this in ministry?
- First of all, this ministry is such a blessing to those experiencing furniture poverty. How can you make a home without furniture? The people receiving furniture feel blessed to receive and the people giving are blessed knowing their furniture is helping someone else. We have owned a few businesses so have learned to work well together. Merrill loves the technology side, which is not Mary’s strong suite. Mary prefers the people, organizing, creating, and communication side, we are Yin and Yang and almost every project needs some of both!
5) Do you have a favorite memory from serving together at FFM?
- Most of our work is “back of the house” but when we do get to go on a delivery, which is where we get recharged and get refocused on the “why” we volunteer. Most people do not realize that FFM clients are the working poor and if one thing goes wrong, they are living out of a motel, or on the street. One family we met was in a motel for over 2 years. They worked hard while caring for their child. Finally, after saving enough an agency was able to help them move back into an apartment. They were so thankful when the truck from FFM rolled up and we prayed together before leaving and you could see the joy and excitement, they felt for getting a new chance. That certainly energized us!
6) Any else to share?
- Praise God for the growth of the ministry. It has been one thing that has truly blossomed during this pandemic as FFM is serving so many more families that are moving typically from motels to apartments.
Luke & Emily
1) How long have you been married?
- 4+ years
2) What’s your favorite date night?
- Eating subs at home, but we have more fun during the day.
3) How long have you been serving together at FFM and in which area do you serve?
- Luke: 3 years, furniture delivery/pickup
- Emily: 7 months, furniture delivery/pickup (formerly furniture restoration)
3) How did you start serving together at FFM?
- Luke found FFM through Victory Church and loved it so much that eventually Emily decided to stop working on Saturdays and go with.
4) Why do you like to serve together in ministry?
- It’s fun and we get to meet new people together. It’s fun when different people ride in the truck with us.
5) Do you have a favorite memory from serving together at FFM?
- Just last weekend we delivered furniture to a couple with four children who expressed so much gratitude for everything we gave them – from their new sofa, to the new beds for their kids, and even to food and toilet paper. It was an extra stop after a long day, but it made us appreciate how lucky we are to be a small part of this ministry.
We also enjoyed the time James West had his FFM shirt on backwards and didn’t know it.
Sherry & Terrance
1) How long have you been married?
- 16 Years
2) What’s your favorite date night?
- Dinner & Movie
3) How long have you been serving together at FFM and in which area do you serve?
- 2 years – Hearts Team
4) How did you start serving together at FFM?
- Terrance started in 2017 when it was Movers & Shakers. If I remember correctly, John reached out to me (Sherry) since I am bilingual and my first-time volunteering, I was with Rosa, 2 years ago.
5) Why do you like to serve together in ministry?
- It’s a fun way to serve as a couple and serve our community together. There is such a wide range of emotions felt such as happiness when you see a child’s joy to have a bed, heart wrenching when a mom can’t open her door for her child’s safety, and we leave everything on the porch and pray outside her door. We experience laughter as well with FFM recipients and donors.
6) Do you have a favorite memory from serving together at FFM?
- Our favorite memory was when we went to a FFM recipient who had basically just arrived in US. They were so happy when the truck pulled up. They came out with smiles and helped unload. After all was in the home, they prayed for us and wanted to know how they can pay it forward and serve.
Where the trail met the couches.
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with a Trail Life group once again this year and provide an incredible experience for this group of kids. They spent an entire weekend with us and what a weekend it was!
On Friday, they showed up with their bags packed and ready to serve. We gave them a quick orientation that evening, they had some dinner and the picked out their spots to sleep over in the warehouse (say hello to couches!). It was quite a late night with all the excitement.
On Saturday, they woke up bright and early, had their breakfast and got ready to head out on the trucks for deliveries and pickups. These 15 kids and 4 adults went out and changed the lives of 2 families, providing them with fully furnished apartments. They followed up those deliveries with 15 pick ups from donor families. But they didn’t stop there…
They came back to the warehouse, unloaded those items, and then jumped into helping us organize and clean up items in the warehouse. Starting off the year with a well-organized warehouse and open space for items is key for us and these boys made it happen!
They spent another night sleeping on the couches, but it was an early night and you could hear the crickets chirping this time around. They had really worn themselves out with all the work they did on Saturday.
We kept the weekend rolling with an early morning on Sunday, heading out to a church these kids don’t normally go to — Victory Church, one of our partners. It was a great experience for them to be around a different style of Sunday service, as well as a variety of cultures that attend this church.
We can’t say enough of how these kinds of unique experiences impact these children, as well as our own ministry. These boys even shared with us great new ideas of how our ministry can serve! We are so thankful to have the opportunity of serving alongside Trail Life and we applaud all that they are doing for building up young boys to be humble servant leaders!
A new wish...list.
Just in time for this coming holiday season, we've created a new opportunity and way for you to give to families in need through our ministry — a live Amazon Wishlist for Fully Furnished Ministries. Simply click on this link to order much needed items and they'll be delivered straight to us! It's a great way to give conveniently to our current needs, as we update the list with "live" needs and great deals on Amazon. Share the link with your friends and family and ask them to consider giving to help fully furnish families this holiday season!
Serving from the heart.
Do you know this man, Nathan King? If you don’t then you should! But as he comes in and serves from the heart throughout the week, you’ll have to seek him out. He moves quickly through the warehouse, getting orders from John, then heading out with a couple of “his guys” to deliver and/or pick up furnishings. There’s a lot more to it though, so read on to hear the full story of Nathan and his time with Fully Furnished Ministries.
Nathan got started with FFM in a very usual way—he showed up one Saturday morning to serve after hearing about it through his men’s discipleship group at Victory Church. At that time, he was mentoring young men, especially young men growing up with single moms and no fathers in their lives, through the ministry he started called For God's Purpose Ministry (FGPM). So he decided to bring those guys along and have them serve alongside him.
Nathan’s ministry, FGPM, continued to grow and expand as he sought to help men and youth in a variety of ways. (We encourage you to read about all that they do on their website: https://www.forgodspurposeministry.com/. ) These men come from all walks of life and are all ages, from young 20s to 60 years old! Nathan shares, “it doesn’t matter the age, if they’re older or younger. They come with the same problem of never having a father in their life.”
As his personal ministry expanded, his involvement with FFM expanded as well. He started bringing these guys out with him regularly on Saturdays and this grew into a day or two during the week. Now, this year, he’s coming out with 2-3 other guys on 4-5 mornings during the week! This has allowed our ministry to expand greatly to be able to go outside of our service area when absolutely necessary.
Nathan is one of our “backbone” volunteers—his selfless service to us and men in our communities is incredible and we are so thankful for him and the ministry he is doing.
I asked Nathan how we can be praying for him and the ministry he’s doing and he shared with me: “We used to have a house for these men that have nowhere to go—coming out of prison or homeless from other situations. We no longer have it but we are looking and praying for God to provide one for us.” Let’s join together and pray for Nathan and this ministry. May God use him greatly as he serves others and serves through Fully Furnished Ministries!
Catch a quick video of Nathan speaking with us here on our Facebook page.
He served, then received.
A man names Jesus (pronounced “hay-sus”) showed up one Saturday morning to serve. We were thrilled to have a Spanish speaker with us and thankful for another volunteer willing to give up time to help others. As he served, we managed to communicate in broken English and broken Spanish with one another and we found out he was from Lugo Alto Church and on the list to receive furniture for his empty apartment. But before receiving his furniture, he wanted to serve other families.
So for two Saturdays in a row, he lifted, loaded, unloaded and delivered furnishings to other families in need and helped pick up furniture donations. On the third Saturday it was his turn to receive. We showed up at his empty apartment where he and a friend were waiting to help, once again. The team unloaded an apartment’s worth of furnishings including 3 bedrooms, a living room and a dining room, with lamps, linens and kitchen items. He was beyond excited and wore a smile on his face the whole time!
As we spoke together in our two languages and some translation throgh another volunteer, we found out that he was coming from Venezuela and had made his way to Atlanta through Miami. He came alone, leaving his wife, siblings and parents behind, in hopes to bring them to join him. They were in dire conditions in Venezuela, where a month of wages will get you $3 and simple medicines can cost you $100—the country is a very difficult place to live.
After he received his papers and found a job, he was able to arrange for his wife, brother and mentally-disabled sister to join him in this apartment he secured. But it had no furnishings and they have little money. So, we were able to jump in and provide for them, just days before his family arrived! He was so grateful.
We are so inspired by people who are willing to serve and volunteer, even when they have nothing. They are willing to give even before they receive! Please continue to pray for him and his family and that his parents will also be able to immigrate.
An Empty Apartment [impact with every interaction]
[Names changed for privacy.]
Meet Anthony and Kiara. They have twin 2-year-old boys and a 4 year-old-boy…that’s a handful. They recently moved to the Atlanta area from New York, via Colorado. They found themselves with only the few belongings they had that fit in the car when they arrived. Through our partner, Frontline Housing (United Way), their needs came to us.
Candace, one of our Needs Assessor volunteers, was assigned this need and gave Kiara a call, as is the usual process. After a few tries with no answer and no space in voicemail, plus unanswered texts, Candace all but gave up on being able to help fulfill this need for this family. Then a few days later while driving, she got an unexpected call back from Kiara. She pulled over and listened.
After hearing about the children, their needs and the difficulties they’ve had, she wrote down the furnishings they needed and asked Kiara if she could pray with her. Over the phone, right then and there, they prayed. The next time Candace came to the warehouse and Kiara was on the list for delivery, she began walking the space to pick out the pieces so needed by this family and these small children: a sofa, coffee table, beds for everyone, chairs, linens…it seemed they had nothing but clothes and car seats.
The following Saturday, our Hearts Team joined the Hands Team on the delivery to Kiara and Anthony. Together, the furnishings were delivered and the personal connection was made. We found out their story and heard some more of their needs that have yet to be filled. We heard about how they had been in this apartment they got through Frontline Housing for 2 weeks but their kids had been staying with family because they had no beds for them (they were coming to the apartment that day to live again with their parents). We talked with them about finding a church and gave them contacts for continued help and connection in the community. We asked them what they needed prayer for and they shared and we prayed. And impact was made at every interaction.
This is one reason we always say, “It’s more than furniture.” Furniture is the temporary need and we fulfill it. But the ultimate need is the gospel…and we live and share it through the furniture. Please join us in praying for this couple and their children.
If you’d like to donate furniture or give financially to help make moments like these possible, visit our homepage. Thank you for being a part of our ministry.