As the community grants coordinator for the Junior League of Westchester on the Sound, Larchmont-resident Kate Bialo learned that many area families were in need of furniture, but with nowhere to store the furniture, social service agencies had no way to collect and distribute it.

Bialo founded the Furniture Sharehouse in 2007, after she raised enough money to secure warehouse space at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains. The organization got off to a big start. Just days before the warehouse opened in April, major flooding in the county damaged the homes of thousands of Westchester residents.

The Furniture Warehouse set up a temporary operation at Mamaroneck Harbor to help affected residents get back on their feet. “We gave furniture to 65 families over ten days,” Bialo said.  

 The Furniture Sharehouse now works with 35 member agencies, and since 2007, has given away more than 15,000 pieces of furniture to 1,800 area families.

 “We only take clients through referral from one of our member agencies, so we know the furniture is going to a family who needs it,” Bialo said.

 As part of Patch’s “Give 5” program, five Patch.com employees contributed their time and muscle to help Furniture Sharehouse reorganize its 6,500-sqare-foot warehouse.

 The Give 5 program is part of Patch’s commitment to volunteering. Five days a year are set aside for all employees to volunteer at local community groups. 

 On Feb. 17, Richard Lopes, Rich Bobé, Chris Lynch, Chad Paperman and Brett Masterson spent several hours organizing rows of sofas, chairs and bookshelves and removing three truckloads of unusable furniture.

"I was glad that we could donate our time to the Furniture Sharehouse for the latest Give 5,” said Rich Bobé, a Patch advertising manager. “It was very rewarding to know that our work, along with the continual work of Kate Bialo and her regular volunteers, was helping families in need get the furniture throughout Westchester."

The Furniture Storehouse, run by volunteers, is open two days a week. Families can come and pick out furniture, which is given to them free, but they are responsible for picking it up.  

 For more information or to find out how to donate or volunteer, visit www.furnituresharehouse.org.

Furniture Drive at MHS on March 19

On Saturday, March 19, Mamaroneck High School students will hold their second annual Furniture Drive in the parking lot of Mamaroneck High School, 1000 W. Boston Post Rd, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

People can gently-used furniture which will be distributed free of charge to needy families in the area. During last year’s Furniture Drive, students collected 250 items from 50 donors and helped load the furniture on trucks to be delivered to the Furniture Sharehouse warehouse at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains.

Only basic home furniture in good condition will be accepted. Go to the Furniture Sharehouse site to make sure your furniture is acceptable for donation. A tax receipt for your donation will be provided.  For more information or to volunteer, e-mail: info@furnituresharehouse.org