metro
Furnishing Hope
Local nonprofit strives to help needy Detroit families
transform their houses into homes.
Leslie Spector
JN Intern
W
ith no intention of start-
ing a nonprofit,Treger
Strasberg just couldn't
shy away from helping families in
Detroit who are in need.
"I was working at Forgotten
Harvest, a nonprofit in Detroit
whose mission is to relieve hunger
in the Metro Detroit area, and I met
a woman who was living under ter-
rible conditions and had nothing;
said Strasberg of Birmingham, who
attends Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township.
As soon as I found out about her
situation, I emailed my friends and
A bedroom in the home of a low-income family was transformed by Humble Design.
neighbors and asked if they had any-
thing they were willing to donate to
Humble Design is a nonprofit interior
her. Within six weeks, we refurnished
house with curtains, artwork, rugs, shelves
design company serving low-income fami-
her entire house:'
and vases with flowers. They clean and put
Strasberg was born in Ohio and raised
lies and single-parent households in Metro the family's clothes away as well. The team
in San Diego, where she lived and attended
Detroit. It works with 13 homeless shelters
works to create a fully functional home,
school up until her sophomore year of high in the Detroit tri-county area who refer
including the little things, such as trash
families to them. After being referred, the
school. She finished her high school career
cans and silverware.
in Israel, and then moved to New York for
families are instantly put on a list of homes
"Before I moved into the home that I am
college, where she earned a BFA in graphic
to furnish.
in now, I was living in a small apartment
design and advertising from School of
Most of these families are fleeing
through a women and children's transi-
Visual Arts in New York City. She moved to domestic abuse. They take
tional program with three of
Detroit in 2008 with her husband and two
nothing with them except
my kids:' said Kerita Reed
children, now ages 6 and 7.
for what they can carry
of Detroit. "I've been at my
This past April, Strasberg won
on their back (typically a
current home for two years
the Diversity Champion award in
and had minimal furniture.
trash bag full of clothes).
Birmingham. The award is given to mem-
Humble Design generally
Humble Design came to my
bers of the community who help bridge
works in government-aid-
home a couple months ago
the gap between cultures and races in the
ed housing, where families
and refinished the entire
city of Detroit.
can usually be found sleep-
place.
After helping the woman in Detroit,
ing on the floor in the liv-
"My kids and I were totally
ing room. Very few homes
Strasberg thought that was the end of it;
shocked that our home could
however, she would pull up to her house
have beds or couches.
look so beautiful. I was so
and see a crib on her front porch or a mat-
"It breaks our heart to
grateful that a group of peo-
see families sleeping on
tress leaning against her garage.
ple do this service for free
Treger Strasbe rg
"I started calling shelters and asked if
the floor:' Strasberg said.
Reed added.
they needed any of the donations I was
"A good night's sleep is worth so much,
Humble Design works with three to five
receiving. They said an organization that
which is why the first thing we do is pro-
families a week and has about a 20-fam-
ily waiting list. Around 250 families have
furnishes homes doesn't exist and sug-
vide beds:'
The next step is bringing the family to
gested I start one. I wasn't ready to start a
been helped thus far. The organization
nonprofit, but my friend Ana Smith and I
Humble Design's warehouse in Troy, where
has partnerships with Gorman's Furniture,
decided to do it:' Strasberg added.
they store all of the donations, to pick out
which donates floor samples; Two Men
During the summer of 2009, Humble
couches, coffee tables and dressers. Next,
and a Truck, which donates moving ser-
Design was born.
volunteers and designers decorate the
vices; I Love My Pillow, which donates all
18 June 27 • 2013
excess pillows, and many more.
"My favorite part is seeing the reveal:'
Strasberg said. "When the families come
home, I see the mothers sigh with relief
and cry. I see kids playing with toys of
their own and feeling secure:'
In February, Humble Design announced
its first franchise partner located in Austin,
Texas. Strasberg's hope in the next five
years is that her humble team is able to help
everyone within the Detroit city limits and
never have to turn anyone away.
If you are considering buying a mattress
for your college-bound student, one for
yourself, or just want to give a mattress to
a needy family, join Humble Design in its
"Buy a Bed Give a Bed" event July 20-21
from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Humble Design
warehouse, 1876 Thunderbird Road in Troy.
"This is a great opportunity for anyone
who is in the market to purchase a mat-
tress for college and for people to see the
warehouse said Client Relations Manager
Cheryl Stern of Huntington Woods. "We
want to thank Eric Koretz, president of
Michigan Discount Mattress, for supporting
us with this event:'
At Humble Design, we do do more than
furnish homes:' Strasberg said, "We refur-
nish hope:'
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