Atlanta furniture bank destroyed by fire reaches fundraising goal

ATLANTA - An Atlanta nonprofit that was forced to halt donations after a serious fire at their warehouse has reached a major milestone.

The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta provides essential furnishings to families in need and has been trying to recover in the months since its entire inventory went up in flames.

The backstory:

The fire broke out shortly after 4 a.m. on June 18 at the nonprofit’s warehouse on Murphy Avenue, near the West End Mall. 

Flames quickly ripped through the warehouse, collapsing part of the roof and destroying all of its contents. The organization said the flames destroyed more than 800 mattresses, 500 dressers, and a warehouse full of other furnishings.

. Fire crews spent hours on the scene, using drones to assess the situation from above and monitoring the area for flare-ups. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The loss is deeply felt across the community. The Furniture Bank has long served as a vital resource for families transitioning out of homelessness or fleeing domestic violence, providing them with beds, couches, and other necessities.

Executive Director Megan Anderson told FOX 5 that she was shocked and broken over the destruction.

"The need in Atlanta is constant throughout the year," she said. "We had just gotten a huge donation from the university and purchased about 200 mattresses to give to our clients. Our warehouse was more full than usual."

What they're saying:

Last week, the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta announced that it had reached its $25,000 goal. With matching funds from an anonymous donor, that amount has doubled.

The nonprofit said the money will go to bouncing back from the fire and continuing to furnish homes for families in need.

At a fundraising event last week, the nonprofit also recognized the Atlanta firefighters who responded to the blaze.

"Thank you all for standing with us," the organization wrote. "We're proud of where we are... but even more excited for what's to come!"

What you can do:

If you want to support Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta’s recovery and mission, you can go to its website: https://furniturebankatlanta.org/donate-now/.