We are Nathalie Maione and Buffey Cassidy, two Ottawa women with families and businesses of our own, who recognize a need in the community and feel compelled to respond.

Every Wednesday night we pick-up gently used furniture from private donors and deliver it to refugee claimants in the Ottawa area. These refugees come from difficult situations and all have limited financial means. Those who can find housing often lack the basics necessary to establish a home. Without help, individuals and families go without a place to sit or eat, without dishes or a bed, most for many months at a time.

We’ve seen firsthand the difference a little help can make in the lives of refugee claimants from the Congo, Haiti, Rwanda and many other countries. They are from the very young to the very old, single parents, families, grandparents and teenagers who have arrived to Canada alone. We offer them more than just furniture: we provide welcome at what may be one of the most difficult moments in their lives.

Since 2005, we have delivered this service through the dedication of a handful of volunteers and the support of community donors. To date, we have relied on a rental truck. We have assumed the direct costs to rent space at a small storage facility and pay out of pocket for all vehicles, insurance and fuel expenses.