Dwell with Dignity, a non-profit organization that designs and installs complete home interiors for families in need, recently hosted a pop-up shop called Thrift Studio in Dallas.
The pop-up shop offered high-end furniture and home décor at a discount, with all proceeds going toward Dwell with Dignity.
“Our entire goal is to transform lives through design,” said Ashley Sharp, the executive director of Dwell with Dignity.
The organization’s mission is to “help families and communities escape poverty, homelessness, and social injustice through design; one household, one gathering space, and one marketplace at a time.”
Dwell with Dignity partners with local social services agencies with existing programs to help families as they settle into new homes. After a family has received all of the counseling, training, and support from partner agencies, they might still find themselves struggling to afford a home and all its necessary furnishings. Dwell with Dignity steps in to provide furniture and decor to families who are nominated by the partner agencies.
One woman who received help from Dwell with Dignity shared her story with CBS DFW.
“I was just walking around, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ I don’t think people really understand how much it makes a difference,” said Adriana Trejo.
Trejo, a Dallas mother of two, lived in her car with her 6-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter when they first moved to Dallas.
“I felt really stuck,” she said. “I felt helpless. I felt really alone. I moved here to give my kids a better life, not knowing I was going to be facing those challenges.”
Trejo was ultimately able to get a home for her family but was unable to satisfactorily furnish it on her own. That’s where Dwell with Dignity came in.
“Everything was completely furnished,” said Trejo. “My pantry had food in it. My son’s room was so pretty… when he saw his room and how he lit up. I mean, it really just made everything that I went through worth it. It changed our lives completely.”
They had a dining table for family dinners and a place her son felt comfortable inviting friends over for playdates.
“We want to provide a foundation for security,” said Sharp. “And I think that that’s what a home is; it gives you a space where you can be authentically yourself, and it gives you a place that you can put down roots and create that foundation for your future.”
Dwell with Dignity transforms 24 homes a year. All the families they have served are still living independently.
“You feel different,” Trejo said. “You feel happy. You feel motivated. You have hope, and it’s like a fresh start.”
After her fresh start, Trejo attended cosmetology school and now owns a salon, Viva La Brow. She was able to shop at Thrift Studio for décor for her new house, which she purchased on her own.
“I came and bought some stuff myself, helping families like they once helped me,” she said.
The Dallas pop-up operated from August 26 to September 24. Supporters are welcome to donate online.
