Move-Out Program test

Imagine this happy day: after six weeks at the shelter with her baby boy, a mother has worked hard with the Director of Family Programs and just picked up the key to an affordable apartment, which will become her family’s new, and hopefully permanent, home! She’ll be back on her feet.

But the apartment is completely empty. No crib for the little one. No bed for mom. No couch to sit on. No dishes, no silverware to eat with. Nothing.

That’s where the Move-Out Program comes in.

Our volunteer Move-Out Coordinators work with shelter staff and case managers at all of our partner agencies to make sure that no individual or family exiting homelessness in Lawrence needs to move into a new apartment without the basics: bed, dresser, couch, table, chairs, kitchenware. (And more, when possible.)

If you’d like to join our mailing list and receive occasional emails from us, please use the form on this page to sign up! And feel free to contact us here.

[Case managers at partner agencies may visit this page for a description of our partnership procedures.]

It is difficult for those of us who have never been without a home to grasp just how hard it is to exit homelessness. By furnishing apartments, we remove one barrier. That’s what we do.

When an individual or family is getting ready to move into an apartment, shelter staff or case managers from partner agencies contact us. We then coordinate a time for everyone to meet at the shelter’s warehouse, pick out the furniture together, load our two pickup trucks, and complete the move. Within hours, an empty apartment looks and feels like a home.

We rely entirely on your generosity. Because our warehouse space is limited, we are only able to accept the specific items listed under the “Current Needs” tab on this page. If you have signed up for our mailing list, you will receive emails updating you about our needs! Or please feel free to monitor this page, which is updated regularly.

If you’d like to learn more, or if you think you might be interested in serving as a volunteer Move-Out Coordinator, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dan!