Welcome To Make A Home Foundation

By Nancy K. Crevier

Make A Home Foundation, Inc is dedicated to providing free furniture, appliances, clothing, and other items to veterans, families, and individuals who are homeless, either due to temporary circumstances or those problems that are on-going. Thanks to the generosity of Newtown and area residents, Make A Home Foundation, Inc, founded in Sandy Hook in 2010, and originally operated out of offices at 87 Church Hill Road, has grown so quickly that founders Anita Pettengill and Dan Telesco have had to “make a new home” for the quantity of home items they have collected. Since August of last year, Ms Pettengill and Mr Telesco have been housing donations in a warehouse at 40 High Bridge Road in Botsford.

Donations to Make A Home Foundation already nearly fill the 56,000 square feet of space in the warehouse. Working 70-plus hours a week, with the help of volunteer staff members, the household goods are arranged in groups throughout the warehouse: living room furniture, dining room furniture, bedding, clothing, kitchen items, and so on.

But stocking dozens of televisions, sofas, bedding, mattresses, clothing, and every other kind of item that makes a house a home takes not only a large amount of space, but also a fair amount of money.

“Mario Divivo, the owner of the warehouse, has provided the warehouse to us, rent free, for one year. But in August, we will have to start paying rent,” said Ms Pettengill. As a nonprofit organization, Ms Pettengill and Mr Telesco must rely on cash donations to cover warehouse rental, utilities, and transportation of items. So they are very pleased to announce that they received their Certificate of Occupancy from the town, the last week in May, allowing them to open to the public nine days each month.

“Our support of those in need comes first,” said Mr Telesco, “but what our clients can’t use, we can sell,” he said. All money received from sales to the public will be used to pay for overhead costs.

Make A Home Foundation, Inc continues to accept donations of all household goods. “If it’s not broken, stained, or ripped, we take it,” Mr Telesco said.

To arrange for pickup or to drop off items, call 203-270-5501, extension 302. For more information or to find out how to volunteer, visit makeahomefoundation.org.