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Mission, Vision, & History
Our Twofold Mission
- To stabilize and transform lives by providing essential furnishings and home goods and connections to resources that increase self-sufficiency.
- To build a sustainable nonprofit organization through social enterprise.
Our Vision
That every family has a furnished home and a stable foundation to build from.
Our History
Found in Faith Ministries (FIFM) was established in April 2016 when three faithful women came together to discuss how they had individually been serving those in the community. They found that:
A significant number of Harford County residents do not have the financial resources to purchase basic furniture and home goods necessary to maintain a standard quality of life.
Fortunately, these women also identified an abundance of local, generous donors willing to offer quality items they no longer needed. As such, they determined that forming a nonprofit would give them the opportunity to serve more people and keep more useable items out of the landfill.
Since that initial discussion, FIFM has grown to serve as a reputable, community-centered nonprofit that remains true to its mission of helping struggling families. In the past five years, we have furnished approximately 940 households in Harford County with nearly $170,000 worth of donated in-kind goods. Thanks to charitable community members like you, our clients can “shop” in our showroom with dignity and receive much-needed items to transform their empty house into a home. An unanticipated outcome of the Fresh Start Furniture Program has been the consolation it brings to local families grieving the loss of a loved one and seeking a meaningful place to donate their unwanted belongings.
FIFM milestones are significant and growing still and we look forward to sharing those that are ahead with you!
In February 2015, a budding relationship formed between furniture ministry leader Evelyn McSorley of Bel Air United Methodist Church and Found in Faith Ministries through a partnership on an estate transition project. From that time on, Found in Faith and Bel Air United Methodist have been working together to meet furniture and home goods needs in our community. In December 2015, Found in Faith Ministries received the news of our approval of fiscal sponsorship through Community Vision International, a worldwide organization whose mission is to “enable visionaries to transform communities”. Their guidance, mentorship, and support have been an invaluable asset to the building of our foundation and growth.
In spring of 2016, Alicia and Evelyn met Mildred Hopkins, a long-time member of Fallston Presbyterian church and Welcome One Shelter volunteer. Mildred had been operating a small furniture ministry out of her garage for nearly 12 years.
On a warm summer day in June 2016, Found in Faith Ministries held its first committee meeting on the porch of our current storage space, an old house affectionately known as The Homestead located on the property of Bel Air United Methodist Church. In attendance were 5 eager servants gathered together to unite and increase the impact of our individual ministries and learn from the leadership of a representative from a thriving furniture ministry in a neighboring county.
The furniture ministry committee continued to hold monthly meetings determining our most pressing operational and resource needs. During the winter of 2016 it was decided that in order for Found in Faith to grow to the capacity it needed to meet the increase in need we were experiencing, we would have to establish our own 501(c)3, a designation given to federally recognized tax-exempt organizations.
Alicia began preparing a board introduction meeting and reached out to local business leaders and friends that had been avid supporters of the ministry for quite some time. Our board held its first official meeting in April 11th, 2017 and our first matter of business was submission of our 501(c)3 application which was completed, reviewed, and submitted by August of 2017.
In February 2018, Found in Faith Ministries relocated to a 4,800 sq. ft. space in Joppa, MD. The ministry showroom has been designed to mimic that of a retail furniture store, offering clients autonomy and dignity as they “shop” for much needed items. We have more than 60 volunteers that graciously offer their time each month to support and serve our clients. Many local businesses, government agencies, churches, services organizations, and private donors have joined in to sponsor our mission as well. If you are interested in learning about more exciting opportunities to partner with Found in Faith Ministries, contact us today!
