Press release from Divine Living:
Asheville, North Carolina, values the spirit of cooperation, teamwork, and advocacy for marginalized populations. Phyllis Roberts and Ashley Campbell are two local professionals who embody this sense of community. Roberts, owner of Divine Living, and Campbell, Welcome Home and Special Projects Manager at Homeward Bound, have partnered to create the Asheville Furniture Drive, a project that will benefit many families and individuals in our area. Specifically, from August 16 through September 30, Roberts will be collecting furniture donations at Divine Living, her Hendersonville Road premium home furnishings store, and coordinating delivery to Homeward Bound, a non-profit organization whose mission it is to end homelessness in Buncombe and Henderson counties.
A best-practice “housing first” model, Homeward Bound houses about 350 people per year. Homeward Bound provides clients with physical homes as well as household goods and furniture. The retention rate is 89% largely due to the Welcome Home project in particular. Campbell, whose background in psychology and work with AmeriCorps led her to Homeward Bound, explains that the Welcome Home project “provides furniture, household items, and support so that a house truly becomes a home.” Campbell is eager to partner with Roberts because of the quality and value of Divine Living’s donations. “We accept only quality furniture for our clients,” Campbell explains. “They are embarking on such an important time, the first chapter of their new lives. Divine Living is the perfect partner for us because of their commitment to providing goods of a high caliber and giving back to the community.”
Roberts’s background in design, finance, and organizational development alongside her work with homeless populations in San Francisco contributes to her passion for projects such as
the Asheville Furniture Drive. “On a humanitarian level, it’s important to respect everyone regardless of circumstance or socio-economic status,” Roberts notes. “Anyone can find him or herself in a vulnerable place due to job loss, illness, or domestic violence, for instance. We all need support in challenging situations. Everyone deserves a fresh start in a new home.” Roberts agrees with Campbell that the housing-first model really works: “If people are struggling on the street, trying to figure out where to eat and sleep, it’s hard for them to be productive members of society; with a fully-furnished home they can focus on feeling safe, finding work, taking care of their kids, and giving back.” Together, Campbell and Roberts are committed to setting clients up for success with quality household goods and furniture. In so doing they make western North Carolina a better place for us all to call home.
Community members are invited to attend the campaign launch party on Tuesday, August 16, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Divine Living on 1856 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 28803. Please RSVP to Roberts at the phone number or email address listed below.
If you would like more information or wish to donate to the Asheville Furniture Drive, please contact either Ashley Campbell (828/777-1886, ashley@homewardboundwnc.org) or Phyllis Roberts (828/505-7991, phyllis@divinelivingfurniture.com).
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