Struggling with a lack of funding and volunteers, officials announced this week that the Fort Saskatchewan Furniture Bank will close effective April 30, 2025.

Founded in 2016, the furniture bank has provided families with furniture and household belongings, officials posted on social media Wednesday, Feb. 12. In 2023 alone, it helped 153 people.

The furniture bank started in order to serve the needs of families facing domestic abuse. Over time the scope of the organization was expanded to deal with other situations such as homelessness, families facing financial issues, fire or other disasters, as well as immigrants requiring a hand up to establish a home in Fort Saskatchewan.

“For over eight years, the volunteer-run Fort Saskatchewan Furniture Bank worked tirelessly to ensure that those in need would be provided with housing essentials on a timely basis,” organizers note.

The furniture bank started without a storage facility, using Facebook to find and deliver needed items as requested. As its scope grew, it added rented storage space in order to respond more quickly to urgent needs. In 2019, the furniture bank moved to a larger space in the new food bank building.

Since then, the organization “has been faced with a decline in demand for services due to low vacancy rates and a lack of affordable housing. It has also been challenging to recruit volunteers and board members for the Furniture Bank, and despite ongoing fundraising efforts, it has been a struggle to keep the Furniture Bank funded.”

In November, 2024, the Furniture Bank board put out an urgent call for funds, warning that they need $16,000 in the coming year to cover rent, insurance and utility costs.

New donations were received as a result.

But with more struggles ahead, the board has decided to close down.

“The Board would like to acknowledge and thank the many clients, volunteers, donors, financial supporters, vendors, and individuals and companies that have supported us along this journey.”