A New Start on Life

Focus on Home is an organization our Oklahoma City team has supported for several years. The group’s mission is to combat furniture poverty by providing disadvantaged families with essential items to create comfortable, functional homes. They receive these home essentials (furniture, kitchen items, accessories, artwork, and more) through donations to their warehouse. They also organize fundraisers to purchase new twin beds, bedding, and nightstands.  

Our Oklahoma City team has participated in several Focus on Home fundraisers in the past. For multiple years, they've designed themed tablescapes for Design Appetit, an annual fundraiser that uses its proceeds to purchase twin beds to support their initiatives. In addition, we've served as a corporate sponsor for The Goodnight Project and other events.

"We love being able to help Focus on Home," said OKC John A. Marshall Co. Senior Interior Designer/Account Manager, Sherry Culpepper, who also worked on the project. "They are a wonderful group of people working endless days and nights to help support these people as they start the new self-sufficient chapter in their lives. 

"Joli [Sanders] had a vision, starting from out of her garage, using a pickup truck to haul a sofa here or there. To what they have created now: a staff of 9, 250+ volunteers, a Teen Board of 90 to help with various activities, and a 24,000 sq. ft. warehouse." 

This year, John A. Marshall Co.’s OKC team decided to get even more involved! Our sales and design teams volunteered to help a single-parent family transition from communal living to their very own duplex. This involved “shopping” for key home essentials from Focus on Home’s warehouse, using feedback from the family they were going to help. 

Our team loaded the furniture and essentials onto a truck and transported them to the new home. They moved everything in, organized it, and styled it—all within 3 hours! This included hanging curtains and artwork—plus installing some fairy lights for the family’s little girl! 

Before & After Photos

"From helping us select the finishing touches, to making a last-minute store run to fill in a few gaps in our supplies, to even running to their personal home to donate the perfect chair! They showed up in every way that mattered," said Heidi Plank, Program Director for Focus on Home, in a social media post.

What meant just as much as their hard work was the heart behind it. Their team jumped in with joy, kindness, and a willingness to do whatever was needed to make this home feel complete. You could truly see how moved they were by the experience, and that kind of compassion leaves a lasting impact...not just for the family, but for our organization.  Because of this team, this space isn't just furnished, it's filled with care, dignity, and love," Heidi continued.

"Our office finds great joy in being able to give back to those less fortunate, and this is an avenue that speaks to us, considering what we create for our clients each day," said Sherry. "This is just a more personal client that we get to use our strengths to help—creating from the heart!" 

Our Oklahoma Team had a wonderful experience helping this family become self-sufficient and start a new life, and we're proud of how they consistently give back to their own community in so many ways that matter.

Learn more about Focus on Home: https://focusonhome.org.