Quarterly Newsletter
April 2026
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March Matchness: A Community Victory!
As we enter the second quarter of 2026, we’re celebrating the remarkable success of our March Matchness campaign. Now in its fourth year, this annual initiative once again surpassed expectations.
Thanks to the generosity of a friend of The Blessing Board, who offered a $25,000 match, our goal was to raise $50,000. Not only was the match met, but we also we exceeded it, bringing the campaign total to an incredible $73,585. These funds will have a meaningful and lasting impact, helping restore dignity and hope for neighbors in need.
Because of this support, families starting over will receive furniture, household essentials, and home medical equipment, transforming empty spaces into homes filled with comfort, stability, and care.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who gave, shared, and supported March Matchness. Your compassion makes this work possible, and we are thankful to have you as part of this community.
The stories highlighted in the following article reflect the real and lasting impact of that generosity.
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Furnishing Homes, Changing Lives | | |
After losing everything in the Eaton Fires in California in January 2025, Jim* found himself starting over in ways he never imagined. The devastation took more than possessions; it disrupted his sense of stability and home.
After receiving assistance from a shelter, Jim began rebuilding piece by piece. Eventually, he made his way back to Pittsburgh, the city where he grew up, hoping to find familiar ground and a fresh start.
That journey led him to us. We had the privilege of coming alongside him, helping furnish his new space and praying over his next steps. What was lost in the fire does not define his future. This season is about restoration, resilience, and the steady work of beginning again.
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Adam* recently came to The Blessing Board as he transitioned from homelessness into a new place to call home. From the moment he arrived, he approached the entire appointment with such a positive attitude.
He made quick decisions, lighting up whenever he spotted something he liked. Adam was especially excited to pick out some décor, artwork, and even a computer chair to make his new space feel like his own.
At the end of his appointment, Adam asked if he could pray for his friends. It was a beautiful reminder that even in the midst of difficult seasons, hope, gratitude, and kindness can shine so brightly.
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Featured Partner
A Heart for Service: Joann and Rob King
| | Joanne and Rob King are a familiar and beloved presence to the staff and volunteers at The Blessing Board. For years, they have faithfully supported the mission by donating furniture and household items. Here they share the story behind their unique ministry and heart for service. | | |
"We've been flea-marketers and roadside salvagers for decades. We love saving things from the landfill! When we retired, we wanted to start a ministry that "helps people get rid of things." We became known as STUF: Serving To Unclutter Families. For the first few years, we had a team of about 15 people through our church and we would rally the number we needed to help with projects. We even had a team help with TBB's move from Oakmont to Shaler!
After 10 years and Covid, the ministry has evolved into something a bit smaller; we are often more consultative than hands-on. Every time we take on a big project -- something that seems impossible -- we have found that God provides just what we need to accomplish the purpose.
The Blessing Board is our first go-to for donating, and the variety of items we can bring to TBB is so large now, due to the Vintage Market, that we are frequent donors. We have other regular donation stops for things that TBB doesn't accept (e.g., school supplies to The Education Partnership, tools and 'garage stuff' to Construction Junction), but the majority of what we box up can find a home through TBB's ministry.
It's our privilege to come alongside people who need help with clearing things out, while partnering with The Blessing Board to get those reusable items to people who need a hand up."
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The Vintage Market: Shopping with Purpose
The Vintage Market recently celebrated its fourth anniversary at our Shaler facility, and it continues to be a dependable source of revenue for The Blessing Board, generating one fifth of our budget in 2025. With inventory refreshed weekly, shoppers can always discover a well-priced treasure. The Market features a wide range of items, including high-end furniture and antiques, artwork, lamps, decorative and seasonal pieces, jewelry, and even jigsaw puzzles.
Co-managers Karen Fischetti and Lucy Lefkakis lead a dedicated volunteer team that carefully sorts through donations to identify special items that appeal to the Market’s discerning shoppers.
The Market also offers a selection of handcrafted goods such as decorative pillows, watercolor greeting cards, and hand-painted glassware. We are especially grateful to showcase the creations of Seth Daugherty, whose work has been featured in the Market since 2018. Seth, a talented young man with special needs, has an extraordinary gift for woodworking. His pieces, including one-of-a-kind charcuterie boards, cutting boards, and live-edge occasional tables, are beautifully crafted and have become favorites among our customers.
We are always looking for new volunteers to join the team. Visit the volunteer page on our website and complete the Individual Volunteer Survey, or email volunteer@theblessingboard.org to learn more.
The Vintage Market has just expanded its Thursday hours and is now open Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Friday–Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Prices are intentionally affordable, and larger items can be delivered for a small fee. Best of all, every purchase made at the Vintage Market directly supports the mission of The Blessing Board.
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Supporter Spotlight
Driven by Compassion: Nancy Murray
| | This month, we’re proud to spotlight dedicated supporter Nancy Murray. Inspired by The Blessing Board’s mission to help individuals and families rebuild their lives, Nancy has turned compassion into action, becoming both a passionate advocate and generous supporter. | | |
Nancy was first drawn to The Blessing Board because of its practical and heartfelt mission. As she shared, she was inspired by “helping individuals and families who experienced homelessness, domestic violence, or a fire and who were faced with rebuilding their lives.”
One story, in particular, made the mission personal. Nancy recalls hearing about a young man who had spent most of his life in foster care and was aging out of the system with little more than the clothes on his back. When he received furnishings from The Blessing Board, “He was overcome with gratitude at having his own bed and sheets for the first time in his life.”
Over time, her involvement has grown in meaningful ways. What began as donating items evolved into financial support and hands-on leadership. Nancy and her husband went on to organize two highly successful collections at Resurrection Parish in Bethel Park, where generous parishioners filled a box truck with donations.
Nancy believes this work is more important than ever. “The work has always been important, but we are at a critical juncture right now,” she explains, noting that rising costs for many necessities have made it increasingly difficult for people to afford even the most basic furnishings.
To anyone considering getting involved, Nancy offers simple but heartfelt encouragement: “Do it!” She adds that The Blessing Board is “an extremely well-managed nonprofit” where donations help families in need while keeping usable items out of landfills.
Nancy’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can make. Through her generosity and advocacy, countless individuals and families are finding comfort, stability, and a fresh start.
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Celebrating Our Be a Blessing Community
We are excited to announce new benefits for our Be a Blessing monthly giving community, a group of dedicated supporters whose generosity makes a lasting difference every single day.
Monthly donors allow us to plan ahead, respond quickly, and ensure essential items are always available for neighbors in need.
As a way of saying thank you, we’re thrilled to introduce new benefits for our Be a Blessing members:
- 10% off all purchases at our Vintage Market retail store
- 10% off The Blessing Board merchandise
- Invitations to The Blessing Board Town Hall gatherings; special biannual events where you’ll hear updates and future plans directly from our Executive Director, Rich Garland, while connecting with fellow supporters, staff, and volunteers
For Our Current Monthly Donors
If you are already part of our Be a Blessing community, you can expect to receive a letter in the mail soon with more details. If you do not receive it, or have any questions, please contact development@theblessingboard.org.
Join the Community
If you’re not yet a Be a Blessing member, we invite you to consider joining this special group. Your ongoing support helps ensure that every neighbor who walks through our doors can leave with the essentials they need to create a home.
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Saturday, April 25th at 10am - 12pm
at The Blessing Board (Shaler)
Hosted by The Junkluggers and The Blessing Board
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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.
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Support Our Mission
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Volunteer at one of our locations to assist families in selecting the items they need.
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Sign up to receive our quarterly newsletters and invitations to events.
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Thank You!
At The Blessing Board, we do more than just provide furniture and home medical equipment - we deliver hope. Our work is about fostering a community where every individual feels valued, supported, and cared for during some of life’s most difficult seasons. Because of your faithful partnership, our impact continues to grow each day.
As you read through this quarter’s updates, we hope you’ll consider how you might continue to be part of this life-changing work. Whether by donating, volunteering, or sharing our story, your support makes hope possible.
We invite you to stay connected, stay inspired, and continue partnering with us as we expand our impact together.
Partnering for hope,
Rich Garland
Executive Director
The Blessing Board
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