News

Xavier Turns Empty Houses into Homes

Donates furniture from dorm renovations to needy families

07/03/08

As part of its development of The James E. Hoff, S.J. Academic Quadrangle (The Quad), Xavier University will demolish a number of homes which served as student residences. In addition, renovation of the 1960s-era Brockman Residence Hall will result in new carpeting, paint, and furniture, among other things.

 

Xavier has made an effort throughout all of its recent development to recycle where possible and to send the least amount possible to landfills.  Stacy Decker, assistant director of campus services at Xavier, donated about 35 mattresses and bed frames, dressers, clothing armoires, desks and chairs, couches, end tables, refrigerators and stoves to MAP Furniture Bank of Columbus.

 

“We knew we would not be reusing this furniture and someone else here at Xavier had worked with this organization in the past,” said Decker. “So we figured it could go to help someone trying to get back on their feet who would really appreciate it and put it to good use.”

 

MAP Furniture Bank provides free furniture to central Ohio residents dealing with severe life challenges ranging from previous homelessness to mental disability.  Nearly 80 percent of the people served earn less than $10,000 a year and 95 percent earn less than $20,000 a year, and are unable to properly furnish their homes.  MAP Furniture Bank helps them improve their quality of life and “turn their empty houses into homes.”  After working with social service agencies, Jeff Hay wanted to help people interested in improving their lives and founded Material Assistance Providers, Inc. in 1998. MAP acts as a valuable community partner by preventing usable materials from being sent to area landfills. If all of the furniture items collected and redistributed by MAP in just the past year were piled onto a one-acre plot of land, that pile would be 23 feet deep.

 

“We genuinely appreciate the opportunity to partner with Xavier in recycling used furniture,” MAP president James Stein said. “It provides much needed assistance while preserving limited landfill space.”