HOWARD COUNTY — A house is a structure with a roof, walls, doors and windows.
A home is a place of security, comfort and belonging.
Home of Our Own (HOOO) is on a mission to help families in need in Howard County to turn their empty living space into a warm, happy home.
"We want to give back dignity, respect and choice that has been taken away for whatever reason," said founder Betty Pearson.
HOOO works with families who are referred to them by agencies throughout the county to pick out furniture and household goods like pots and pans, lamps and sheets.
"Bathroom items, towels, a shower curtain. Simple things I think we take for granted," Pearson said. "We help people who are dealing with homelessness, our veterans. We’ve helped families who have dealt with house fires."
Pearson says the idea for HOOO began in her home. She would see families in need of household items while volunteering with other charities or schools and go find what they needed through websites like Freecycle.
The endeavor grew from her home to storage units, to now a 17,000 square-foot facility. HOOO is run entirely off volunteers, from the movers who pick up donations and make deliveries to families, to sorting and organizing the items and coordinating with each client.
"The heart of our volunteers is amazing. We have volunteers who say they leave with a smile on their face, to know they’re helping somebody else," said Pearson.
HOOO is always in need of donations, both monetarily and items, and volunteers. For more information on how to help, click here.
