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Furniture donations help struggling family
A Riverview mother who survived homelessness, eviction and severe personal hardships is finally receiving the help she needs to turn her apartment into a stable home for her family. FOX 13's Mark Wilson reports.
RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A Riverview mother who survived homelessness, eviction and severe personal hardships is finally receiving the help she needs to turn her apartment into a stable home for her family.
Support for Riverview Mother
What we know:
Lava Poole works three or sometimes four jobs to build a stable life for her two sons. She previously faced homelessness, eviction and deep emotional valleys, including suicidal thoughts, but relied on her faith to pull through.
Love INC of Metro Tampa met Poole during this difficult season, guiding her through financial classes, apartment placement and ongoing mentorship.
Although she secured the apartment, the home lacked basic furniture, forcing Poole and her children to sleep on temporary air mattresses for months.
Relief arrived when College HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving delivered bedroom sets, Famous Tate donated new mattresses, and Love INC provided complete bedding collections.
Poole expressed deep gratitude, noting she had no idea how many extra hours she would have had to work to afford the furniture on her own.
Ongoing Community Needs
What we don't know:
Officials with Love INC of Metro Tampa have not confirmed the exact number of local families currently waiting for similar furniture placements. It remains unclear how long the waitlist is for housing and mentorship resources in the Tampa area.
Rising Resource Demands
Why you should care:
The local safety net is experiencing unprecedented strain as housing costs create instability for working parents. Representatives from Love INC of Metro Tampa stated they are seeing a significant increase in requests for help from families in need across the region.
Opportunities to Help
What you can do:
The nonprofit relies heavily on community networks to sustain its operations and help families transition out of poverty. Love INC stated it currently needs more volunteers, financial donors and local church partners to meet the rising demand.
Click here to learn more about Love INC.
Click here to learn more about College HUNKS Hauling Junk.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Love INC of Metro Tampa, who detailed their mentorship and resource assistance, as well as corporate partners College HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving and Famous Tate.