Senator Eldridge, Representatives Tami Gouveia and Danillo Sena Secure $250,000 Earmark for Household Goods in Supplemental Budget
State funding will help complete non-profit’s expansion to better serve residents in need.
Acton, MA – State Senator James Eldridge (D-Acton), Representative Tami L. Gouveia (D-Acton) and Representative Danillo A. Sena (D-Acton) secured an earmark for $250,000 for Household Goods in the Covid-19 Supplemental Budget, signed by Governor Baker on July 24. Household Goods is a non-profit in Acton that furnishes homes for anyone referred by a social service agency. Household Goods is located in Acton but serves people throughout Eastern and Central Massachusetts. Last year, Household Goods served 2,735 households. Staff, volunteers and donors provided 60,000 furniture items, kitchen items, and linens to families in need.
“As someone whose first volunteering experience upon returning home to Acton after graduating from college was at Household Goods, I have always been a strong champion of Household Goods, and I am so proud to see the non-profit grow over the past twenty years and serve tens of thousands of Massachusetts families,” said Senator Eldridge. “That why I was so pleased to work with Household Goods Executive Director Sharon Martens and the Board of Directors to advocate for financial support to allow Household Goods to expand, and I’m proud to have filed a successful amendment in the Senate Covid-19 Relief Supplemental Budget for $250,000 in June, towards that purpose.”
"I am happy to see Household Goods receive $250,000 to complete their expansion. Household Goods plays an essential role in our community by helping thousands of families in need to furnish their homes every year. I have referred many constituents with a variety of needs to Household Goods and value it as a tremendous resource, and I look forward to its continued growth,” said Rep. Sena.
“Household Goods provide critical support to our region's residents when they need it most. I am so happy that they will be able to expand their services and am excited to witness the accomplishments and impacts achieved because of this funding,” said Rep. Gouveia.
"Household Goods is grateful to Sen. Jamie Eldridge for the $250k local earmark. The earmark will be used to fund our “Build the Way Home” capital project,” said Sharon Martens, Executive Director of Household Goods. “New social distancing and quarantine protocols, in response to Covid-19 has made the need for the project even more critical. An improved on-site traffic flow and additional space to store, prepare, and provide donated household items to people in need will allow us to furnish more homes, free of charge, while keeping our clients, donors, volunteers, and staff as safe as possible."
However, the Household Goods facility is relatively small, which significantly impedes their ability to serve the public due to social distancing concerns. This earmark would allow them to complete a 4,000 square-foot renovation, creating much needed space to process incoming donations, increasing their capacity for this by 50%. To put this in more practical terms, due to social distancing constraints, Household Goods can’t have someone unloading a truck and building a bedframe at the same time. That would be possible with this expansion.
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