City of Refuge: Bedroom Furnishings

We all know the saying, there’s no place like home.

We feel the comfort of our surroundings when we return from a long trip or get back to normal after a disruption to our environment. And as nice as our vacations may be, there’s just something about home.

That’s the feeling City of Refuge is trying to create for their Eden Village residents.

Eden Village is a refuge for women and children on the west side of Atlanta who are experiencing homelessness. Its 40 rooms are home to about 75 women and children at any given time, and City of Refuge provides nutritious meals, daycare, personal development courses, job training, and more as residents work toward independence.

As one of the longest running programs offered by City of Refuge, many of these rooms hadn’t seen significant upgrades in over 15 years. They were full of mismatched furniture donated over time, they had dark paint on the walls, and some still had the original carpets.

In short, it was hard for them to feel like a home.

“You and I wouldn’t want that kind of furniture in our homes,” said Katie Monson, Volunteer and Donor Relationship Manager at City of Refuge. “So why do these ladies get second best?”

This question set City of Refuge on a two-year process of renovating and upgrading all 40 rooms at Eden Village. They replaced flooring, repainted to brighten the space, and outfitted each room with a new, matching furniture set. 

Additional touches like putting artwork on the walls and upgrading all adult beds from twin size to full went a long way to communicate dignity and independence to their residents.

Through last year’s Be Rich campaign, your generosity funded the renovation of five of these rooms—giving current and future residents a little more dignity, a little more comfort, and a place that feels a little more like home.