Contributed by: Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® 
On December 7th, eleven volunteers from The Center braved the cold and made their way to Pontiac to meet at the Humble Design warehouse. There we learned about the truly humble beginning of this non-profit that furnishes homes for families who have previously experienced homelessness. Humble Design goes into homes, procured by agencies, and adds furnishings—like a bed for each child, kitchen supplies, and furniture for living spaces—as well as character to the previously empty space. They take each unique family into consideration and decorate to their needs and likings. Each child gets their own bed, something most children living in shelters don’t have the luxury of experiencing, and those kids then for the first time have their own space to learn, to dream, and to live. Every kitchen is furnished with new pots and pans procured through valuable partnerships Humble Design has initiated. Most importantly, every house has a dining room table that is set and ready for family meals; again something most transient families are unaccustomed to. Humble Design attains all these materials from gracious donations, advantageous partnerships with organizations, and companies, like Center for Financial Planning, who sponsored a specific family.
We at The Center were so excited to start this partnership with Humble Design after having a few of our partners work with them in the past. In October, we had a couple employees volunteer in the warehouse, sorting donations and the like, and in December we were able to extend this partnership further to sponsor the design and furnishing of a house for a family of four in Detroit. Our volunteers carried boxes filled with pictures, lamps, pots and pans, in order to design and stock the house with the essentials and designed it in a truly beautiful way. At the end of the day the family was able to move into an already furnished house with all of their needs covered, and have it feel like a readymade home. We may have provided the things and donated our time, but that family will add the life, the love, and the happiness to make the house a home. We are truly grateful to have been a part of such a wonderful opportunity to make a family feel safe and welcomed in a place to call their own.
Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the services of Humble Design.