AKRON, Ohio — Jennifer Sullivan is an Akron resident who has been helping in her community since she was a teenager.
This past spring, Sullivan took the skills she has learned from decades of volunteer work and started the Goods for Good Akron organization.
Her goal is to get usable goods into the hands of people in need.
She collects all sorts of items to hand out to those struggling including clothes and furniture.
“People would give me things or ask me where can this go?” Sullivan said. “They wanted it to go to someone not just go to landfills, and they didn’t want to put it on the curb or things like that.”
Sullivan has worked extensively with mothers who are in recovery, she said.
“A lot of people, when they are leaving transition housing or maybe leaving drug treatment or maybe getting a new place after being homeless, end up with an empty apartment or home,” Sullivan said.
She makes sure no family has to come home to an empty house.
Sullivan said she connects with people on Facebook who are looking to get rid of their items and then she will oftentimes rent a truck and pick up the items and deliver them to the people in need at their homes.
“There are some other nonprofits that are doing furniture donations and deliveries,” Sullivan said. “A lot of times you need your own vehicle, and a lot of people don’t have the availability to rent a U-haul or truck or something like that to go pick it up.”
Sullivan said she works to eliminate the extra steps to make the process easier for people donating and people receiving.
“Something that I really try to do too is have this be no hoops to jump through,” Sullivan said. “You know, there is a lot of great organizations that are doing a lot of good things but sometimes the hoops you have to jump through can be prohibitive for someone who is just starting or is just overwhelmed with life.”
She hopes by taking the stress out of finding basic essentials like beds, couches and even coats, she can help those struggling get a fresh start.
To connect with Sullivan, click here to visit her Facebook by searching Goods for Good Akron.
