named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Healthy Home Furniture Installation Program
Provides complete household furnishings and décor to families referred by partner agencies, transforming empty residences into safe, dignified homes.
UDFL Team Building Program
Corporate volunteer program where teams participate in furniture installations, fostering team cohesion while supporting community impact.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Furniture and Household Essentials Provision 3 activities
- Full Home Furnishing for Families in NeedTransforms empty or unfurnished residences into fully furnished, comfortable homes for individuals and families transitioning from homelessness, domestic violence shelters, and other unstable living situations. Services include delivery, arrangement, and setup of furniture, kitchenware, linens, home décor, and new mattresses, often completed within 3.5 hours per home.
- Furniture Donation and Logistics ManagementOperates appointment-based donation drop-off and pick-up services for gently used and refurbished furniture and household items. Sources and manages inventory of donated goods to support home furnishing programs, emphasizing reuse and sustainability.
- Sponsor-A-Family Program ImplementationCoordinates volunteer teams and resources through the Sponsor-A-Family Program to transform unfurnished spaces into fully furnished homes, specifically targeting domestic violence survivors and others transitioning from shelters into permanent housing.
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Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
- Program Impact Reporting and Scaling GoalsFurnished over 160 homes and impacted more than 420 individuals since 2018, including providing furniture so that over 245 children no longer sleep on the floor. Utilized over 9,500 donated items and served 100 families as of December 2023, with a goal to serve 100 families annually by 2027.
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Therapeutic Comfort Kits and Room Makeovers 1 activity
- Specialized Room Transformations and Design ProjectsConducts customized room makeovers for clients with specific needs, including children with medical conditions and memorial spaces for domestic violence survivors. Projects involve painting, installing storage, hanging artwork, applying wall decals, and placing donated furniture to improve comfort, safety, and emotional well-being.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Client Support and Home Readiness EducationProvides client education on housekeeping, lead poisoning prevention, and creating child-friendly home environments during home visits. Also offers supportive services such as complimentary hotel stays, transportation, and gift cards to local businesses during the home transformation process.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$162K
Contributions & grants$162K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$149K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$71K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$148K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$93K
5 years on record · 2021–2025 · YoY revenue +6.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIONNE WILLAMSON | Executive Dir. | 40 | $65K |
board members · 3
- CHARLES FASHANA — Director
- LAVAR BROWN — Director
- MORGAN HARDY — Director
relationships · 30
Who they work with
- Albright Knox at Northland Partner — Facilitated programming related to the 'In These Truths' exhibit.
- Broadview Federal Credit Union Partner — Participating design team sponsor of the Annual UPlift Design Challenge & Fundraiser
- Bus Association of New York Partner — Collaborated through a keynote presentation at their annual meeting.
- Canisius College Partner — Presented at the Women’s Business Center event.
- Carolyn’s House-a program of the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier Partner — Collaborates with UPward Design for Life to support clients transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing.
- Children Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- Community Services for Every1 Partner — Receives design and furnishing services from UPward Design for Life for clients in victim services programs.
- CreativeMornings Buffalo Partner — Spoke at a community-focused creative professional event.
- Domestic violence survivors Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- D’Youville College Partner — Conducted a speaking engagement at the college.
- Family Justice Center Partner — Collaborated on a memorial design project to create a comforting space for domestic violence survivors.
- Family Justice Center Partner — Works with UPward Design for Life to support survivors of domestic violence through housing design and furnishing services.
- Family Justice Center of Erie County Partner — Collaborated with the organization through founder's role as an Ambassador and conversations that informed UDFL's service model.
- Hispanos Unidos De Buffalo Partner — Partners with UPward Design for Life to furnish apartments for families in domestic violence rapid rehousing programs.
- Individuals and families transitioning from homeless shelters Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- Individuals who are asylum seekers Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- Individuals with physical and developmental disabilities and mental disorders Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- Ingram Micro Partner — Corporate partner whose employees volunteered with UDFL to transform a family’s house into a home.
- Ithaca College Partner — Engaged with students and leaders at the Annual BOLD Leadership Retreat.
- MOOG Partner — Corporate partner whose employee volunteered with UDFL and endorsed the organization’s impact.
- New Era Cap Foundation Partner — Co-presenting sponsor of the Annual UPlift Design Challenge & Fundraiser
- Office of Native American Community Services Government — Provided a presentation or insight session for the office.
- Trautman Associates Partner — Corporate partner that participated in the UDFL Team Building Program to furnish a home for a family in need.
- University of Buffalo Partner — Engaged with the WNY Prosperity Fellowship Class.
- Veterans Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- Young adults aging out of foster care Partner — Recipient group served by the organization
- donations@upwarddesignforlife.org Partner — Email contact point for coordinating furniture and household item donations.
- local hospitality partners Partner — Provides complimentary hotel stays and car service for client-families during home transformations.
- partner agencies Partner — Refers clients to UPward Design for Life Corporation for home furnishing services.
- trusted partner agencies Partner — Refers clients to UPward Design for Life for furniture installation services.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Client Empowerment via Co-Designmethodology: client-empowerment-through-co-designBy involving clients in the co-design of their living spaces using donated materials, we foster self-worth and agency because participatory design affirms individual autonomy and transforms passive recipients into active creators of their environment.
- Housing Dignity Through Designmethodology: housing_dignity_through_designBy furnishing and aesthetically designing homes in collaboration with clients, we produce stability and healing for vulnerable populations because a dignified, personalized living environment restores self-worth and supports successful reintegration into community life.
- Local Adaptation of Proven Modelsmethodology: local-adaptation-of-proven-modelsBy adapting and implementing proven community-based models locally, we address unmet housing and dignity needs because context-specific replication of effective solutions ensures relevance and impact where services are otherwise unavailable.