High Point Furniture Bank Opens

Furniture World News

Responding to industry requests, the National Furniture Bank Association (NFBA) and MGM Transport Corp. announced that exhibitors at High Point International Home Furnishings Market will be able to donate home furnishings directly to a local furniture bank. Emergency Interiors Furniture Bank will serve the North Carolina region, effective immediately. The NFBA is the home furnishings industry’s unified non-profit organization, representing furniture banks throughout the country. The mission of the NFBA is to increase the service capacity of existing furniture banks, and to open new furniture banks in areas without one. Furniture banks collect gently used home furnishings from the general public, then give it to families in need. Typical clients of furniture banks are victims of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina; women and children escaping domestic violence; families living below the poverty line; and thousands of others covering the whole spectrum of people in need. NFBA affiliates distribute over 1,000,000 pieces of furniture to over 100,000 families each year. Furniture banks also keep thousands of tons of used furniture out of incinerators and landfills annually. “The High Point-based Emergency Interiors Furniture Bank (EIFB) is well positioned to become a ‘mega-furniture bank,’” explained NFBA executive director Phil Van Poetsch. “Based on early estimates it seems likely that EIFB will grow to become a major distribution source for other furniture banks in the eastern region.” MGM Transport Corp., a leader in transportation and logistics in the home furnishings industry, has pledged not only 25,000 square feet of temporary storage at their Eden NC warehouse, but will also be providing equipment and personnel to collect donations from High Point showrooms. Ed Massood, president & COO of MGM Transport Corp., said that it’s important to see a furniture bank open in High Point. “We’re happy to devote our equipment and personnel to collect donations from exhibitors,” stated Massood. “I’m confident that all sectors of our industry – retailers, manufacturers, and transportation companies – will support the NFBA. Collectively, we have the opportunity to help tens of thousands of children in America.” The founder of Emergency Interiors Furniture Bank, Kevin Polk, has already been deluged with requests from disaster relief organizations from the southeast to Texas. “We're not prepared to serve such a large area immediately, so we’ll be focusing on serving North Carolina and South Carolina at first,” said Polk. “I’m very happy that we can begin serving some people right away, but saddened that there are so many thousands of others we can’t help. For now.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross, and many other national relief agencies refer families to the NFBA each day for assistance. FEMA has put together an early preparation committee for the upcoming hurricane season. Emergency Interiors Furniture Bank has been asked to serve on that committee. Exhibitors wishing to donate product from their showrooms in High Point should send an e-mail to Kevin Polk at kpolk@emergencyinteriors.org or call him directly at (919) 345-8516. To become a sponsor of the National Furniture Bank Association, please call Don Lawrence at (800) 576-0774 or send an e-mail to dlawrence@Help1Up.org. About the National Furniture Bank Association (NFBA): The NFBA is the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of the home furnishings industry. Its mission is to create comfortable home environments by providing essential furnishings to those in need. No child in America should have to sleep on the floor. Kathy Ireland is the Help1Up Ambassador, and the NFBA Board of Directors includes Ray Allegrezza, Editor-in-Chief, Furniture/Today Magazine; Mary Frye, President, Home Furnishings International Association (HFIA); and, Steve DeHaan, Executive Vice President, National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA). About MGM Transport Corp.:Thanks to an unfailing commitment to reliability and innovation, MGM Transport Corp. (www.mgmtransport.com) has grown into the transportation leader in the home furnishings industry since its inception more than half a century ago. Over the years, the multimillion-dollar, family-owned and operated business has transformed from a traditional trucking company to an innovative, full-service transportation, warehousing and logistics partner for manufacturers and retailers, both domestic and import. The company was the first in the home furnishings industry to offer online tracking and bar coding. MGM Transport Corp. is the specialist in LTL (less than truckload) services, with daily deliveries throughout the East Coast corridor and beyond, as well as direct deliveries from California. Through MGM’s commitment to deliver the best transportation and logistics services to the home furnishings industry, they have also developed MGM Warehousing & Distribution, MGM Home (white-glove, residential delivery), and MGM Nationwide for point-to-point truckload service anywhere in the United States. Contact: National Furniture Bank Association Don Lawrence Vice President, Communications (800) 576-0774 dlawrence@Help1Up.org http://www.help1up.org MGM Transport Corp. Paula Powell Executive Administrator (336) 812-8207 ppowell@mgmtransport.com