Welcoming Home

Marsha Roberts provides furniture and household goods for homeless families who have received Section 8 vouchers and are moving into their first apartments. I work with these families as an employee of a Housing Authority. It makes such a difference in the lives of these families who previously would secure an apartment and then move into a cold empty apartment and have to sleep on the floor. This was not good for their mental health or sobriety. It is a long journey for many of these folks. Marsha launches them in a warm and cozy apartment with all the household goods they need to prepare nutritious meals and feel like they have come HOME.....like they are part of society again.

Welcoming Home has been an invaluable partner in our efforts to support individuals and families in need. Their willingness to take on referrals and furnish homes has made a profound difference in the lives of the people we serve. Our experience working with them has been exceptional—their staff and volunteers are not only kind and respectful but consistently go above and beyond their responsibilities. We couldn't achieve the level of impact we strive for without dedicated partners like Welcoming Home. Thank you for the incredible work you do and for making such a meaningful difference in the community!

Simply put. AMAZING organization and staff. Gem to the community, and the community it serves. Thank you too to staff and the donors, who all make it possible.

What sets Welcoming Home apart from other non-profits serving people in Marin County coming out of homelessness, crises, or other significant challenges is the personal attention given to each family. I’ve been honored to visit clients in their (often empty) apartments to learn more about them and to assess their needs, preferences, and hopes for their new home-everything from colors to artwork to children’s favorite characters or sports teams.
We secure furniture and other household items from generous Marin donors, gently used but in good to excellent condition, before purchasing anything new, aside from bedding and beds. The look on the faces of the family members when they see their “new home” is priceless and is always accompanied by expressions of sincere gratitude. I cannot solve the homelessness or inequity that so many families face here, but one family at a time I feel I am helping local Marin residents have a home they are proud of. As a donor and a “Home Lead”, this volunteer role has been by far the most meaningful one I have been a part of.

I found out about Welcoming Home on Nextdoor and started by donating items from their needs list. Now I’m involved in meeting with the client, designing the rooms and setting up the new home. It’s an amazing experience to take an empty apartment and turn it into a warm and functional home. Marsha and Greg have assembled such a talented group of volunteers and their vision is so personal for each client. A young mom was almost in tears telling us that she “never thought she’d have a home like this.”

My spouse and I have supported Welcoming Home since its inception. It is a very well managed organization that fills a critical need by filling an often overlooked gap for people transitioning out of homelessness. I have seen the faces of families returning to their previously nearly empty apartments to find them furnished based on their needs including fully equipped kitchens. We know helping to fund this organization gives these people a sense of dignity and self respect that allows them to pursue their dreams.

I started at Welcoming Home about 4 years ago and went from morning intake to assisting with the setup and the new apartments. There is nothing better when you finish knowing that you have made a difference in a family's life and the quality of their life. The last 2 years I have assisted in the staging of apartments in the month of December and knowing that there is a Christmas tree waiting for the children when they arrive is priceless.

A friend found this organization when she was looking to pass on some furniture she no longer needed. I loved their mission but didn't have any furniture to donate. So each time they are working to furnish a home for a family I try to donate money to help buy those items which need to be purchased new. I always get an email with photos of the families and their new homes. I especially love seeing the children's smiles. Welcoming Home is doing wonderful work in our community!

Welcoming Home is such an incredible organization. Thank you for your wonderful work in our community!

Marsha of Welcoming Home was great to work with. We were clearing our mom's house out after she died and Marsha walked by in the neighborhood and asked if we would be interested in donating any furniture, lamps, etc. We gladly said yes and she arranged for some small items to be picked up at the house and we collaborated on hiring a local mover to take away the large furniture items. It was wonderful to see our mom's furniture, etc. being used and enjoyed by another family!

This is one of my favorite charities! They are organized, know precisely who needs what and how to get it to them in a timely manner so that the families’ new living spaces are stunningly transformed and beyond welcoming. I really love that they share the finished home photos with donors which is exactly why we contribute in the first place - to help improve other’s lives. It’s the people of Welcoming Home that really make this an amazing charity and I love that so many local families’ get to be beneficiaries - it’s truly transforming and improving our community!

This organization fills a huge void for previously homeless people. Providing a living space in and of itself is not enough. Welcoming Home transforms empty apartments to furnished homes and in so doing, lifts spirits and supports successful transitions. Marsha, Greg along with the volunteers and sponsors, are the most generous and committed people I know. My hat goes off to them.

I am both a donor and a volunteer for Welcoming Home. I am lucky to get to work with the devoted and talented teams who put their time, heart, and energy into every home they furnish. This non-profit's dedication to providing not just shelter but also the comforts of a fully furnished home speak volumes about their commitment to restoring dignity and stability to those in need. By creating living spaces that are not only functional but also inviting and comfortable, they are helping individuals and families transition from homelessness to a more stable and hopeful future. Their work not only provides physical necessities but also fosters a sense of belonging and pride, which are crucial for rebuilding lives.

I have been a supporter for a few years. These wonderful, tireless individuals support those less fortunate in our community by making new housing opportunities into complete, warm and welcoming homes for recipients. They supply necessities plus warm touches that truly make a difference in the lives they touch!! Wonderful nonprofit that's building community for all of us!

Welcoming Home is a godsend to our clients at Catholic Charities. Often when help our participant's into housing they go in with nothing, most notably, furniture such as beds, couches, kitchen tables, etc. Welcoming Home not only provides these possessions, but does it with warmth and compassion, allowing the tenants pick their furniture. When Welcoming Home does their big "reveal," unveiling the furnished home to the new tenant, it is a thrilling and often emotional experience. This is an organization that deserves any praise and community support they can get.

Welcoming Home is an incredible nonprofit worthy of accolades and kudos. Their work is impeccable and the organization creates a warm and loving "home" for a single person or family leaving homelessness and re-entering into housing. The success rate of remaining in housing is more than doubled when the home provided has furnishings and Welcoming Home custom colors and styling of the furnishings to match the request by the occupants, giving them dignity, respect and acknowledging a fresh start where they have a say in the process. Marsha and Greg and incredible individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of others. Their volunteers are committed to making a difference, and by gosh, do they make a difference!

I have donated furniture and cash to Welcome Home several times since moving to Marin. They are great communicators - I see where my donations go, and the formerly unhoused people who benefit. And the staff is competent and more than courteous. Very impressive.

Welcoming Home is a fabulous organization that helps needy individuals and families directly in our community, taking empty apartments and turning them into fully furnished homes. The reactions of the formerly homeless children is at the same time heart warming and heart wrenching. These kids get so excited about having their own bed for the first time for example...something that most children take for granted. The single moms are especially grateful for the support because they work so hard to keep their families together under very difficult circumstances.

What a great organization! I had posted a large television stand for sale on Nextdoor when I was approached by Welcoming Home to donate the item. What a great idea! They even arranged for pickup! Will definitely be donating again.

It's hard to imagine transforming a previously empty house into a loving, warm and fully furnished home in a single day. But Welcoming Home does exactly that to four family homes every other month. Without the volunteers it would be difficult. Without the kindness and leadership of Marcia Roberts and Greg Hansen, it would be impossible. Imagine the logistics of gathering the goods, sorting, delivering and installing four complete homes in a single day. It's mind boggling indeed but Greg and Marcia lead with kindness, intelligence and good humor. Same for the volunteers. We are proud to support this very worthy organization.

As a longtime volunteer and donor, I have firsthand knowledge of how Welcoming Home literally changes the lives of the families & individuals we serve. And it's not just about the transformation from an empty shell of a home to a warm and inviting space with every room furnished and decorated. It's about uplifting these people, giving them hope and a home they can be proud of. The confidence & self-esteem that comes along with that is priceless. The kids feel so special when they see their new bedrooms, decorated with their favorite colors or characters, a desk of their own for homework or projects, brand new bedding, towels and dishes. It's so much more than the stuff we bring, it's about giving hope, and compassion to families & individuals that have lived on the fringes of society for years and finally have a beautifully furnished home by donors & volunteers who genuinely care.

I both donate and volunteer for this wonderful organization. They fill an essential role in our community by helping furnish homes for newly housed individuals and families.

Such an outstanding organization and fulfilling volunteer experience. Each time I have volunteered my time, I have been so impressed by the quality of the leadership, dedication, organized fashion used to secure donations and the hard work that goes into the process of move ins for families. Everyone involved is generous with their time, friendly and conscientious so that these families have the most functional yet tailored items for their needs. Items are thoughtfully put together. Things always turns out positively for the families served even if there is a last minute unforeseen obstacle! The new homes are very nice looking too. The smiles and joy seen at the reveals is beyond heartwarming.

My husband and I feel elated after our work on an apartment with one of the teams at Welcoming Home. We love the comradely, all working to make a home that a family will walk into and just cry … they can’t stop saying wow. I love that part. Especially when they see something they asked for, something that is part of the them or their past, or a toy or book a little person had asked about. We care about more than knives and forks and lovely couches and rugs. If you are a pilot and miss the plane you flew. You will find it on your wall. Home is where your heart is, and we make certain we know what makes that heart happy.

I have volunteered a handful of times with Welcoming Home and can't recommend the experience enough. The organization is out there doing the good work and it's an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of it.

I have been a volunteer with Welcoming Home for several years, both as a donor and as a "boots-on-the -ground" worker. We are an energetic and committed community of designers, installers, and treasure hunters, really just regular Marinites with a heart for making homes for the formerly homeless. We meet a family in their new empty apartment, listen to their stories, assess their needs and discover their preferences. Then we go away and make a real home for them, functional and beautiful, with their favorite colors, artwork, complete kitchen, even the "Paw Patrol and Disney princess" bedrooms that all kids wish they had. With a beautiful, stable home, these families, who have felt "less than" for so long, begin to live and feel like they are just like us. It's a gift to them and to the volunteers and to all of Marin.

I’ve worked on two Welcoming Home projects, turning houses into homes for families in need. The experience of taking mostly empty spaces and making them beautiful, comfortable and individually suited to each family has been incredibly rewarding. It is not always easy but the joy felt among all the volunteers makes the work zip along and in seemingly no time it’s a Viola! moment. When families or individuals walk back into their new home they are awe struck by the transformation and Al oat speechless with gratitude. Then our hearts are all full.

I volunteer and the reveals are amazing, when families see their nearly empty apartments transformed into homes. Warms my heart to see the joy on the kids’ faces. Like the best Christmas ever. :)

I’ve been involved with Welcoming Home for several years now and I continue to believe that it’s the most important and satisfying non- profit I’ve been associated with. I think the model they use is really smart- by that I mean they get referrals from agencies for clients, they work closely with the clients to determine exactly what they need and would like to furnish their home, and then a specific list is drawn up so that donors can provide just what is needed. The fact that all of the donations are delivered on one morning and then set up in the clients home makes it feel like a miracle! Seeing pictures of an empty apartment transformed with such care in one afternoon is truly a miracle. I love being a part of this wonderful non- profit. I consider it a blessing to be able to help a family get established in a comfortable and attractively furnished home- helping them get a new start.