As I reflect on all that has taken place over the past few months, I am filled with gratitude. Every story in this newsletter is a reminder that lives are transformed when a community comes together to care for its neighbors.

In this newsletter, you'll read about families whose lives have been changed through the gift of home furnishings, exciting opportunities to expand our services, new partnerships that will allow us to serve in even greater ways, and the incredible generosity of volunteers, donors, and community partners who make this ministry possible. From celebrating the success of Taco Thursday to launching our new Home Transformation initiative, you'll see how God continues to open doors for The Blessing Board to reach more families with hope.

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Thank you for being part of this work. None of this would be possible without faithful supporters like you. Whether you give financially, volunteer your time, donate furniture, or advocate for our mission, you are creating places where families can find comfort, dignity, and a fresh start.

Partnering for hope,

Rich Garland

Executive Director

Furnishing Homes, Changing Lives

*Names have been changed.

While The Blessing Board has the capacity to serve approximately 150 families each month through our Day of Blessing program, the need in our community consistently exceeds our resources to meet it. As a result, our Program Staff has been exploring new ways to expand our impact and serve more families.

One exciting step forward was the expansion of our Home Medical Equipment (HME) program to our West Mifflin location on June 1st, increasing access to essential home medical equipment for families south of Pittsburgh. More information including hours of operation can be found on our website.

Additional Days of Blessing have been made possible by the servant leadership of our Board of Directors and staff, as well as special Friday service days with corporate partners such as American Eagle and Touchstone Cares.

Finally, recent increased volunteer support at our West Mifflin location has been enabling us to steadily grow the number of families served through that location.

Each new opportunity means more families receiving furniture, household essentials, home medical equipment, and encouragement during difficult seasons. We are grateful for the volunteers, donors, and partners who make this growth possible and look forward to seeing how God continues to expand our reach in the months ahead.

Taco Thursday Draws a Sold-Out Crowd

Back by popular demand, Taco Thursday returned to The Blessing Board's North location in May and once again sold out! Guests enjoyed an evening of great food, fellowship, and fun while learning more about the impact of our mission.

Attendees had the opportunity to tour our warehouse and Vintage Market, meet staff and board members, win prizes, and enjoy delicious food from the PghEatz food truck.

A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors for making the evening such a resounding success! We are deeply grateful to Highmark, our presenting sponsor, as well as The Junkluggers and Garland Agency for their generous support.

We also want to extend a special shout-out to our wonderful friends at Dancing Gnome and Oakmont Bakery for elevating the guest experience. Attendees loved the specialty Mexican beer provided by Dancing Gnome, and Oakmont Bakery’s delicious assortment of donated cookies was a massive hit -- not a single crumb was left by the end of the night!

Most importantly, Taco Thursday gave us the opportunity to connect with many new friends and supporters and share the life-changing work happening every day at The Blessing Board. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Volunteer Spotlight: American Eagle

In May, The Blessing Board had the privilege of partnering with Pittsburgh Cares to host a team of volunteers from American Eagle Corporate for a special Day of Blessing.

The team not only supported a family during their furniture appointment but also assisted with warehouse projects that keep our ministry running smoothly behind the scenes. One volunteer shared that they could clearly see how meaningful their efforts were to the families they encountered and said the experience was their favorite volunteer project in more than ten years of serving through American Eagle's corporate volunteer program.

As an added blessing, the American Eagle Foundation generously donated $1,000 to support our mission.

We are incredibly grateful for the servant-hearted spirit of the American Eagle team. We also extend our thanks to Pittsburgh Cares for connecting organizations and volunteers who are making a difference throughout our community.

Supporter Story: Cheryl McLaughlin

For some supporters, The Blessing Board becomes much more than a place to donate or shop; it becomes part of their family story.

After this year's Taco Thursday event, Cheryl McLaughlin shared how meaningful it was to introduce loved ones to the ministry. "We had a wonderful time at Taco Thursday and had a chance to introduce my daughter, son-in-law, and another couple we love to The Blessing Board. We were given a tour of the facility, and it was such a great opportunity for them to see firsthand the impact of the ministry."

The evening also reminded Cheryl why she loves the Vintage Market. "Another friend who rounded out our table came with us last year, and she too loves shopping the Vintage Market." In fact, Cheryl and her husband returned the very next day and found several unexpected treasures. "We found the perfect small silver gift for our daughter's 25th wedding anniversary, two perfect birthday gifts for friends, and I renewed my supply of beautiful painted greeting cards. Oh, and a lamp, and probably a couple other things as well."

While Cheryl jokes that she and her husband are trying not to bring more things into their own home, she loves that the Vintage Market makes it easy to find unique gifts for others. And her support doesn't stop there: "I look forward to signing on to volunteer soon."

Whether through shopping, volunteering, or sharing the mission with others, supporters like Cheryl make The Blessing Board possible.

Home Transformation 2026

Sponsored by Duquesne Light

This fall, The Blessing Board will launch an exciting new initiative that builds upon our Day of Blessing program to provide an even more meaningful experience for one local family.

Through our new Home Transformation program, a team of corporate volunteers will not only support a family in selecting their furniture and household items at our warehouse, but also deliver those items to their home, unload them, and arrange each room into a welcoming, comfortable living space.

We are grateful to announce that Duquesne Light Company has become the inaugural sponsor of the Home Transformation program. As the first corporate partner to support this new initiative, their volunteer team will work alongside The Blessing Board staff to support one family through this special day.

For many families, receiving furniture is life-changing. Having caring volunteers create a warm, functional home adds another layer of encouragement during a significant season of rebuilding.

We are excited to launch this pilot program with Duquesne Light Company and look forward to seeing how Home Transformation creates lasting memories for both the family we serve and the volunteers who make it possible.

A Chance to Play Legendary Oakmont Country Club

Golf enthusiasts won’t want to miss one of our favorite annual fundraisers. Thanks to the generosity of Emeritus Board Member Terry Griffin, three fortunate golfers will have the opportunity to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime round at Oakmont Country Club on Friday, August 28, alongside an Oakmont member.

Widely regarded as one of the most challenging and historic courses in the world, Oakmont has hosted more U.S. Opens than any other course, most recently in 2025. From its iconic Church Pews bunker to its lightning-fast greens, the course offers an unforgettable experience for golfers of all skill levels.

How to Enter

• Tickets: $20 each
• Purchase Deadline: August 13
• Winning Ticket: Determined by the PA Pick 3 Evening Drawing on August 14

Whether you're dreaming of playing Oakmont yourself or looking for the perfect gift for the golfer in your life, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss!

Supporting Growth at Our South Warehouse

As The Blessing Board continues to grow, so does our commitment to creating meaningful volunteer experiences that support our mission. To better support volunteers and increase our capacity to serve families in need, we recently created a new Volunteer Supervisor position at our South Warehouse.

This role provides on-site leadership and guidance for volunteers, creating an environment where they feel welcomed, equipped, and connected to the impact of their service. By fostering a positive volunteer experience and improving day-to-day operations, the Volunteer Supervisor helps us serve more families with excellence and care.

We are excited to announce that Dale Weisensee stepped into this role on April 14. A longtime volunteer who has served at several Blessing Board locations, Dale brings a servant's heart, a positive attitude, and a deep appreciation for the volunteers who make this ministry possible.

Please join us in welcoming Dale to his new role. We are grateful for his dedication and look forward to the many ways he will support our volunteers and our ability to serve the community.

Ways to Donate to The Blessing Board

Thank you to our generous supporters for partnering with us to serve our community with furniture, household items and home medical equipment.

1. Visit our WEBSITE and click the red “DONATE NOW” button.

2. Join our BE A BLESSING community and become a monthly donor.

3. Arrange automatic check payments through your bank’s online bill-pay.

4. Mail a check payable to The Blessing Board to:

The Blessing Board

880 Butler Street, Suite 1A

Pittsburgh, PA 15223

5. Donate through our FACEBOOK page. Click the blue “DONATE" button near the top of our page.

6. Shop our AMAZON WISH LIST.



7. Designate your United Way contribution by using our Contributor Choice #11126638.

8. Schedule a pickup or drop off your furniture, household items and home medical equipment.