Kahina's Story
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m doing it so my kids can have a better future”? For Kahina, this isn’t just a saying—it’s the very reason she left everything behind.
Six months ago, Kahina and her husband packed up their life in Algeria and moved to Ottawa with their three young sons. They came not just for safety or opportunity, but for something more hopeful education. “In Canada, teachers build curiosity, confidence, and creativity in their students,” Kahina shares. “My boys come home excited about learning. They never felt that way before.”
But starting over in a new country isn’t easy. After managing to secure housing, Kahina found herself facing a different kind of hardship: a house without furniture. No beds for her sons. No kitchen table for shared meals. No chairs to rest after a long day.
That’s when a woman at the Vanier Community Centre told her about Matthew House Ottawa’s Furniture Bank—one of over 60 partner agencies working together to support newcomers and low-income families. Through a referral from the City of Ottawa, Kahina booked an appointment. It took several months—demand is high, and the waitlist now exceeds 700 people—but she held on to hope.
And when the day finally came, she was overwhelmed—but not by the furniture.
“Everyone was smiling,” she recalls. “They genuinely cared about me. Someone even called to make sure I got home safely. I couldn’t believe the kindness.”
That same day, furniture arrived at her door. Beds, a dining table, dressers—the essentials that turned an empty space into a real home. “We were just living in a house with walls,” Kahina says. “Now we have everything we need.”
She’s been sharing her story ever since, telling everyone she meets about the generosity she found here. To donors and volunteers, she says: “You’re not just giving furniture. You’re giving families a fresh start. You’re putting smiles on our faces.”
The Furniture Bank now serves over 1,800 families a year—but with such high demand and limited space, we know we can do more. That’s why we’re working toward a larger warehouse to help reduce wait times and reach even more families, faster
Want to be part of the solution?
Donate today. Volunteer your time.
Help families like Kahina’s turn houses into homes—and dreams into brighter futures.