Families get new furniture after losing belongings in Hurricane Irma

ORLANDO, Fla. (WKMG) A Central Florida nonprofit is getting results for dozens of families who lost most of their belongings during Hurricane Irma.

“I get to pick four chairs, right?” Lumarie Cordeiro asked while walking through the 20,000 square-foot warehouse at The Mustard Seed.

Cordeiro, along with five other families, went row by row picking out new pieces of furniture and picking up the pieces of their lives.

“This is a blessing to so many people,” Cordeiro said.

They lost everything after raw sewage exploded through the shower and kitchen sink drains of their apartments at the Boca Vista apartments community in Altamonte Springs. It spilled onto floors and destroyed their homes.

“I lost a lot of things, and unfortunately renter’s insurance was not able to cover our things or pay us back,” Cordeiro said.

The families tried getting help from national organizations, but they didn’t have any luck, until they turned to The Mustard Seed.

“It takes a long time to get help and they need help now,” Alexi Howk, with The Mustard Seed, said.

The Mustard Seed is Central Florida’s only furniture and clothing bank. It’s normally closed on Saturdays, but the organization opened its doors on the weekend to help the families.

They picked out sofas, tables, chairs, mattresses and other items they need to rebuild their homes.

“We didn’t want them to go one more day without have a bed to sleep in or a table to eat at,” Howk said.

The Mustard Seed also partnered with Rooms to Go, which is committing more than $1 million and a 1000 rooms’ worth of brand new furniture, as well as partnering with national and local organizations to distribute the furniture.

“I’m just, I’m speechless. I’m speechless. It’s wonderful,” one resident said.

The goal is to get results for up to 100 families and help them get their lives back on track after the devastating storm.

“Amazing, amazing. I definitely appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. It’s incredible. I had no idea and this is just a blessing,” Cordeiro said.