This previous week, Sofa Potatoes workers traded the couches and prospects for work gloves and water bottles. We headed all the way down to the Marbridge Basis, a non-profit residential neighborhood that gives lifetime care to these with cognitive and mental disabilities.
We first grew to become concerned with the Marbridge Basis after Becca McPherson, Vice-President of Growth, watched how Sofa Potatoes helped the higher neighborhood with the ice storm final 12 months. As a furnishings retailer, we imagine that our mission ought to transcend promoting couches, and the Marbridge Basis equally goes past a nursing facility. The Marbridge Basis is one in three that may serve the life-long care of adults with mental and cognitive disabilities. They don’t simply accommodate their residents; they focus on caring for them and enabling them to thrive. There are residents of their licensed expert nursing services which have down syndrome of their 70’s and 80’s—which is remarkable elsewhere.
This is not the primary time we have been grateful sufficient to get the chance to assist out Marbridge, as we visited final 12 months to assist get their campus prepared for the vacations. With this go to, we obtained to assist with landscaping throughout the 200-acre campus. Let’s check out our day again at Marbridge!
Landscapers for a Day
There are 3 completely different care communities which might be persevering with to broaden: The Villa, The Ranch, and The Village—the latter being the neighborhood that began our partnership with Marbridge. A brand new cottage was constructed for the Village, they usually needed McPherson to supervise the furnishing of it.
Our workers are onerous at work weeding across the Villa.
Our volunteers have been divided into 3 teams that might do landscaping on the soccer area, the admin constructing, and the Villa. It was a HOT day, however fortunately a few of our volunteers introduced their solar hats and wore underneath armour beneath their blue Sofa Potatoes t-shirts.
Fernando was ready together with his personal gloves, hat, and even his personal shovel.
Every group had their very own set of duties to finish. The group on the soccer area shoveled mulch into the again of pick-up vans after which transported it, and the opposite two teams labored on landscaping across the admin constructing and the Villa.
The Admin constructing wanted some robust girls to tear up that mulch.
Teamwork made the duties and the time, fly by. Music was enjoying from the audio system, the work was therapeutic, and workers obtained a possibility to speak to individuals from completely different departments or shops they would not in any other case have interacted with. It was a pleasant break from the routine of furnishings promoting, and it would not damage to know you are aiding individuals who respect the assistance.
A Place of Peace
Marbridge might have wanted some assist with the landscaping, however you would not discover that strolling round its picturesque campus. It’s a place of stability, the place adults with cognitive disabilities can age in place, and age peacefully. There is a area with horses (and an cute donkey), an amphitheater with loads of seating, and beautiful buildings constructed with a considerate and acutely aware route on their placements.
Simply being there for the 4 hours that we have been, it was clear that the Marbridge Basis locations consolation and peace on the high of their priorities for each their residents and their friends. We had such a good time working collectively as a staff and giving again to our neighborhood. We will not wait to come back again and go to Marbridge once more quickly!
In the event you’re curious about trying out the Marbridge Basis, take a look at their web site Marbridge.org and hit the tab “Get Concerned”. From there, you may discover the alternative ways to volunteer or donate! And if you wish to keep up to date on our subsequent volunteering occasion, observe us on Instagram @atxcouchpotatoes. We’ll see you quickly!
