Making a House a Home

The Mustard Seed of Central Florida, the only furniture and clothing bank in the area, has been a social service agency for more than 28 years.

The organization strives to provide families with a sense of restored dignity and hope after a crisis situation by furnishing a household full of furniture. This includes beds, tables, chairs, bookcases, sofas, linens, dishes and other basic necessities that make a house a home. It also seeks to help every veteran sleep in a bed and eat his or her meals at a table, as well as to provide the home basics needed for a sense of security, stability and regained self-worth.

Families in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties come to The Mustard Seed when dealing with personal crises including domestic abuse, fire and natural disasters, and medical hardships. The Mustard Seed also helps the homeless transition from the streets to a comfortable home, those dealing with drug rehabilitation and recovery, veterans returning from war, and the economically disadvantaged.

The furniture program at The Mustard Seed provides the foundation that people need to begin rebuilding their lives. Each family receives 14 to 16 pieces of furniture for their home, which costs the organization $300.62 per family. Thirty families each week need assistance, and The Mustard Seed furnishes at least 120 homes each month.

To be able to satisfy these needs with the end result of rebuilding hope and stability for Central Florida families, The Mustard Seed needs 2,000 pieces of furniture each month. That’s where the assistance of the community comes in: to provide donations of furniture, linens and dishes. Tables, chairs and sofas are the most-needed items, and a representative from The Mustard Seed will pick up any local donations.

The goal for 2016 is to double the number of clients served in the Central Florida area.

How You Can Help:
1. Donate furniture. Call 407-875-2040 to schedule a pick up.
2. Make a monetary donation at MustardSeedFla.org.
3. Volunteer at the warehouse, which can accommodate up to 50 volunteers at a time.