BY LAURA BRUNO
DENVILLE — Patty Martin of Morristown didn’t know what to expect when she arrived at the A&R Interiors warehouse on Saturday to pick out some “gently used” furniture.
There was a French Country dining set, a 1930s-style Biedermeier dining set, and Queen Anne chairs.
“This is quality,” said Martin, surprised by her good fortune. “I feel like this is furniture that will last for years still.”
In the fourth year of A&R’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity to help furnish local families’homes, Allyson Rich Morren said this year’s furniture drive brought in some true gems for 14 Morris County families.
“It gets bigger and bigger, and this year we got the nicest furniture,” said Morren, A&R co-owner .
The annual furniture drive has gotten so big that A&R had to store pieces in its second warehouse instead of working off its showroom floor, as in past years. Families had donated at least 20 dining room sets, half-a dozen cribs, 15 bedroom sets, plus hutches, computer tables, entertainment centers and children’s furniture.
“I think I’m a little overwhelmed,” said Martin, a child care provider, who picked out a dining room set and hutch.
In many cases, the furniture was donated by A&R clients who recently redecorated but wanted their former furniture to find a new home, Morren said. Those who donate furniture get a voucher for a discount at A&R , plus a tax deduction.
“It makes people feel good because it’s going to families,”Morren said.
Michelle and Tom Sullivan said the drive was a great help to their family of six. Tom Sullivan, a chef manager for Sodexho, said their dining room chairs had taken a beating. The six chairs they picked out on Saturday were a welcome addition to their Budd Lake home.
“It’s great to have people helping people,” Sullivan said.
For new Habitat homeowners Orlando and Miriam Ortiz, the excitement of moving into their first house is accompanied by stress as they try to find furnishings. They were working to fit a dining room hutch into their car on Saturday with help from Habitat volunteers Frank Hubbard and Kurt Schwarz and Schwarz’s sons, Craig, 14, and Clayton, 17.
Hubbard, of Morristown, joined Habitat just four months ago and said he had no idea just how much Habitat does for families. He already has done some general construction work on homes in Randolph and Victory Gardens and was lending his muscle to load furniture into cars on Saturday.
‘A good feeling’
“It’s a good feeling. The people coming in today seem genuinely excited,” Hubbard said.
Likewise, the Schwarz family said they’ve enjoyed working with the people they are helping.
“We always wanted to do something like this, but there was always a reason why we couldn’t do it,” said Kurt Schwarz, of Jefferson.
Last year, there were no more excuses, and since then they’ve worked on houses in Dover and Butler.
“You get to see more directly how you are helping,” Clayton Schwarz said. “In Dover we worked with a single dad with two little girls.”
For the Ortiz family, their dream of owning a home has finally become a reality. They moved from New York City six years ago to rent a place in Dover. With help from Habitat, they soon will move into a new home in Jefferson.
“It’s beautiful to know that there are people out there willing to volunteer and help,” said Miriam Ortiz, who works in an attorney’s office.
“It’s very generous of those donating. Maybe one day I can do the same for someone.”
