Volunteers needed to keep Morningstar's furniture program running

Morningstar Mission is a mainstay within the Greater Napanee community. While the public may be familiar with their charitable work, including the opening of a warming centre and free meals, their furniture program is a vital, perhaps lesser known, service. 

Now, after four years in operation and hundreds of homes furnished, this program may have to close. 

 Blaine Williams, one of three volunteers who oversees the program, described the urgent need for new volunteers to take the reins.

Kevin Alkenbrack, executive director at Morningstar, noted “there’s no other program like this in Belleville or Kingston.”

“This program exists because of the passion of the volunteers,” Alkenbrack added.

Williams explained that several of the current volunteers will have to step down due to health and other personal reasons.

Describing the program, Williams noted that the volunteers at Morningstar act as a conduit between people who no longer need their furniture and those in dire need.

“We collect furniture donated from people who no longer have a need for it,” Williams said. “These are people who are downsizing, maybe their kids have moved away, maybe someone has passed on.”

Working with Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Social Services, along with other services providers, they help to determine who might need furniture most.

After collecting the furniture, the volunteers perform necessary repairs before taking the it to those in need.

Largely, the recipients of the furniture are women coming out of Interval House and heading to transitional housing.

“They’re people on limited budgets, which can include refugees too,” said Williams. “Some of them arrive here with almost nothing and we can help supply them with everything to furnish a home.”

Bedding, pots, and pans are just some of the other items often collected by the Morningstar volunteers to disperse as needed.

“We can, and often do, set up an entire household or apartments for people,” Williams added.

Though the program is based out of Napanee, they service a vast geographic area as far west as Belleville, as far north as Marmora, and everywhere in between.

Apart from the three volunteers that fulfill leadership roles, they also have a rotating crew of volunteers available on an as-needed basis. These volunteers are responsible for much of the heavy lifting.

“We are very careful with what we do,” stated Williams. “Safety is so critically important.”

Apart from the current volunteers having to leave the program, Williams described another factor that may hamper the success of the program going forward.

“Originally, we were using the train station to clean and repair furniture and get it ready to go out,” Williams explained. “Now, we’re now in the conservation garage.”

While their new facility is “big and open” it is not heated.

“Nobody wants to spend six or eight hours in the cold to clean furniture,” Williams added.

The furniture program was moved from the train station in September to make way for the Greater Napanee Youth Services Coalition Youth Hub.

By early 2026, with leadership roles vacant, the furniture program may have to suspend operations. 

For more information, please visit morningstarmission.ca, or call 613-354-6355.