By Meals on Wheels volunteer Karen Moore knocked on a door in one of Nashville’s most at-risk neighborhoods to deliver a meal in 2008. But when the door opened, she was taken aback to see a woman and her children living in a bare apartment.
When Karen asked where the family slept, the woman gestured to a pile of clothes nested on the floor. She replied, “Honey, I don’t have any furniture. That’s where we sleep.”
Later that night, Karen was still shaken up by what she had seen. The importance of giving back had been instilled in her at a young age by her father, and she knew what she needed to do.
“This isn’t happening on my watch,” she told her husband, no longer satisfied with just delivering meals. “Everyone deserves a house that feels like a home!”
It didn’t take long for Karen to rally four of her friends. They asked their community for furniture donations and brought them back to the bare-bones apartment, installing two sets of bunk beds for the children. Witnessing the stress relief on the mother’s face, Karen knew this was just the start.
Karen and her friends continued their efforts, using their husbands’ trucks to pick up furniture donations and storing them in their garages for neighbors in need. What started as a side project eventually turned into Project Redesign, a nonprofit that partners with other nonprofits to furnish homes.
Not long after, Project Redesign moved into a warehouse and began helping all kinds of families: hurricane victims, refugees and countless others in need.
Once when a scheduled installation suddenly fell through, Karen called the next recipient on the list. The woman was thrilled to hear from her and said she could get started right away. When Karen and the volunteers were nearly finished refurbishing the apartment, there was a knock on the door. It was Children’s Services, popping in for a surprise inspection. They couldn’t believe how nice the apartment looked—and thanks to Project Redesign, the children were able to return to a cozy home.
The more I give away, the more I get back, Karen mused, her heart full knowing that Project Redesign helped reunite an entire family.
Today, Project Redesign serves more than 100 families each year. According to Karen, the gratification she gets from giving back is the best feeling.
“It fills my soul to help others get a fresh start and come home to a space that gives them peace and joy,” she says. “What we’re doing is so much more than a home makeover. I believe we are put on this earth to help each other!”
