HELPING WITH FURNITURE GALA RETURNS TO GATHER RECORD AMOUNT
PRESS RELEASE
OTTAWA, ON - June 1, 2023 - Helping With Furniture (HWF) celebrated its 15th
annual Gala with an in-person event on May 26th, 2023, raising $40,000 and
surpassing their fundraising goal.
“After a three year break from in-person events it was incredible to see our community
come together. The money they invest in helping us help others is really what Helping
With Furniture has always been about,” said founder and president Nathalie Maione.
HWF helps refugees, recent immigrants, people relocating from shelters, leaving
abusive situations, struggling with mental illness or at risk of homelessness by providing
gently used furniture, household goods, refurbished bicycles and laptops.
The award-winning charity has helped furnish nearly 3,500 Ottawa households, more
than 1,000 of which were furnished during the pandemic.
The funds raised at the Gala will go towards actions like outfitting a client’s home,
fuelling the HWF truck so items can be picked up and delivered and offsetting the cost
of leasing and operating the warehouse, which houses all of the items donated by the
community.
“Beyond the money raised, the response shows us that people understand the need for
our service, and are ready to help support us so we can help more people and shorten
wait lists,” continued Maione.
As we emerge from the crisis mode of the pandemic, many of us, including HWF’s
clients, are starting over. “Begin Again” was the theme of this year’s event, meant to
inspire thoughts of renewal, spring and starting fresh. Guests played into the theme by
wearing floral attire and they expressed much joy at coming together again in support of
HWF.
The evening featured a keynote address from Mireille Leroux, co-founder of Habitations
partagées Mirela, on the subject of innovative alternative housing. Folk musician
Amanda Lowe Warnakulasuriya sang and played guitar for the crowd of 230 guests.
HWF presented three volunteer awards during the event. The Bob and Elizabeth Rapley
Lifetime Volunteer Award was given to Carole Leduc. The Carolyn Taylor Volunteer of
the Year award was given to Patricia Smith. And the Inez Hoey Youth Inspirational
award was given to Devon Jiang, Abbass Ansari, Mina Aslami, Juliette Wellman, Alaa
Belacel, Alynna Griffith, and Nora Elayouti.
HWF is grateful for the support of their event sponsors:
Perley‑Robertson, Hill & McDougall
Donations will continue to be accepted through the event site until May 31.
About Helping With Furniture:
Helping With Furniture provides gently-used furniture and household goods, refurbished
bicycles and laptops to people in need in Ottawa. For more than 15 years, HWF has
been helping refugees, recent immigrants, and people relocating from shelters, leaving
abusive situations, struggling with mental illness or at risk of homelessness.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Mireille Brownhill
Gala Lead / Coordo du gala
mbrownhill@hwfottawa.org