Members of the nonprofit group Heart to Home Furnishings accept a $1,500 donation from the Lion’s Club of New Ulm. L to R: Dave Schaetzke, Gary Neubauer, Steve Schneider, Brad Kirk and Keith Richter.

NEW ULM — A group that is accustomed to giving to others was on the receiving end for a change on Wednesday.

Heart to Home Furnishings received a $1,500 donation from the Lions Club of New Ulm Wednesday.

Heart to Home Furnishings is celebrating 10 years of operating as a nonprofit. The organization takes donated furniture and household items to give to families in need. This includes everything from sofas and beds to tables and small kitchen appliances.

Heart to Home distributes items based on referrals. President Steve Schneider said a referral can come from several sources. including Public Health, Veteran Services, churches or others.

The donations help people who have shelter but not necessarily the comforts of a home. This could include people who had to relocate because homelessness, women fleeing abuse, families who lost a home due from natural disaster or a recently disabled person who needs a new lift chair.

Last year, the organization shipped a truck load of furniture to Kentucky in response to a winter storm disaster.

Schneider said Heart to Home currently has 23 volunteers. The group collects furniture every week. In 2022, they collected from 170 individuals. The group has given to over 1,000 furnishing items to over a 100 families.

Heart to Home has roughly $7,000 in annual expenses. These expenses come from storing donated items and transporting it to families in need. The donation from the Lion’s Club donation will cover expenses for the organization for the next two years.

Anyone wishing to donate items to Heart to Home can email hthfurnishings@gmail.com or call 507-276-6228.