“Now I see what you mean”
“Seeing the satisfaction from the families when they received their furniture and the impact it made on their lives affected me in such a profound manner that I put my original plans aside to dedicate myself at the furniture bank.”
– David Botha
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Each month we share stories of amazing people connected to Matthew House Ottawa. Enjoy!
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What is your name? David Botha
How did you get involved with Matthew House Ottawa’s Furniture Bank?
In 2010, I was teaching at Niagara College and volunteering at Matthew House Fort Erie when I was offered a position with the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre and I moved to Ottawa. Matthew House Fort Erie put me in touch with Mark Wyatt, who had started the furniture bank to help displaced Haitians arriving in Canada after the earthquake in Haiti, and was working with a group to open a Matthew House in Ottawa. I started volunteering at Matthew House Ottawa’s refugee services program and at the furniture bank in early 2011. As the demand for the furniture bank’s services grew, the organization needed someone to manage it. I was offered a part-time position which I accepted. It wasn’t my intention to work in the social services sector but once I got involved I became attached to Matthew House Ottawa and I wanted to continue to be a part of its development.
You now serve as program director at furniture bank. What motivates you in this role?
When you look at what Matthew House stands for - which is to help those in need - my primary objective is to ensure that the furniture bank provides furniture to those in need and that the staff and volunteers help to achieve this goal.
I realized there was a great need for furniture in the Ottawa community and at the same time there was a tremendous amount of good quality furniture going into the landfill. The furniture bank helps with both of these issues by diverting good quality furniture from landfills and into homes of those in need. Also, seeing the satisfaction from the families when they received their furniture and the impact it made on their lives affected me in such a profound manner that I put my original plans aside to dedicate myself at the furniture bank.
I’ve been with the furniture bank for nine years, and the desire to see someone progress from a position of not having a bed to sleep on or a table to have dinner with family and friends is what really motivates me. Examples like these inspire me to make sure that the furniture bank continues to grow and serve the increasing number of people who need it.
What contributions or achievements are you most proud of?
Without a group of dedicated volunteers, the furniture bank cannot exist. I take pleasure in maintaining a professional, friendly, and compassionate environment in which volunteers enjoy serving their community. At furniture bank, volunteers experience first hand their worth and the impact of their contribution to the community they serve.
In some countries, volunteering is not common. But for many newcomers, their opinion about volunteering changes after their involvement with furniture bank. For example, in my early years as a volunteer, I was joined one day by a refugee from Namibia who was living at Matthew House. On the drive, he asked me if I was getting paid and I replied “No.” He wanted to know if I enjoyed volunteering and I told him I enjoyed it very much. He didn’t understand how I could possibly like doing this work without payment. I told him to wait and see what happens when we deliver the furniture. When we arrived at the client’s home, a single mother from the Middle East, we started taking the furniture out of the truck. The mother and her children came running out to help us. As we brought the furniture into their home, we saw blankets and pillows on the floor and nothing else. We were delivering only a few mattresses and pieces of furniture but this family was so happy and the volunteer saw their reaction. As we were driving away, the volunteer turned to me and said “Now I see what you mean.”
What is the most important work that the furniture bank provides to the community?
The purpose of the furniture bank is two-fold. The primary objective is to place furniture into the homes of those people who don’t have any so that their home will be warm and comforting. The second objective is to help the environment by preventing good quality furniture from going into the landfill. For 11 years, the furniture bank has successfully achieved these goals. As a faith-based organization, we praise God for what we have and we are thankful for the wonderful volunteers that make this organization what it is.
Interview by Barb Koppe.
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Wanna help? Here is how you can change lives through Matthew House Ottawa:
Donations: you can give online here or cheques can be mailed to 380 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa ON K2G 6A1.
Become a monthly donor: The consistent support from our monthly donors is a HUGE help, and we would encourage you to give in this way if you are able. You can set up a monthly donation here – just click “donate monthly” tab at the top of the page.
Refugee Services: We welcome donations of grocery cards (or groceries and frozen meals) to help feed the refugees we have welcomed at the house, though we ask that you please contact Doreen in advance to make arrangements (dkatto@matthewhouseottawa.org).
Furniture Bank: If you have gently-used furniture you no longer need, please give us a call at 613-591-6681. And please spread the word among your networks as well.
Pray: for past, present and future residents and furniture bank clients
Since 2010, Matthew House Ottawa has welcomed hundreds of refugee claimants, and provided quality used furniture to more than 5000 families in need. We have done this as a large, dedicated team of volunteers and a small handful of employees, with a lot of passion and commitment. Thank you for helping to make this important work possible!