LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Dozens of people lined up outside of the Restoration and Recovery Foundation in North Las Vegas Monday, hoping to take home couches, tables, food and basic household items for free.
“We’re just giving back to the community and making sure that the community feels safe. We are in hard times right now, and there are a lot of families that are scared during this holiday season,” said Marivelle Nunez, founder of Restoration and Recovery Foundation.
Restoration and Recovery is a nonprofit social services and mental health organization that runs a community pantry and helps families in crisis. Nunez said they collect donated furniture and essentials, then try to get them back out the door as fast as they come in.
“This is our way of telling the community that we are in a strong and resilient community here in Las Vegas, and we are a community that gives back, we are a community that takes care of each other,” Nunez said.
Families starting over find hope
Among the first in line was Arlyn Bertha, who moved to Las Vegas just over a month ago. She waited in line for eight hours, with high hopes of getting back on her feet.
“I had to leave everything behind, I lost my furniture, I lost everything,” Bertha said in Spanish.
Bertha’s long wait paid off as she was able to go home with a sofa for her new place.
“I never thought in my life that I would be able to get a couch, and sadly, sometimes we go through really tough moments, but we can always get ahead with these programs,” Bertha said.
Foundation serves diverse community
Nunez said she started the foundation after hearing patients say they were staying sober but still couldn’t afford food, mattresses or basic furniture. Now, they’re seeing more families like Bertha’s, working on starting over.
“For the Latino, the Black and brown community, our agency is open to everybody. This is the hub of the unhoused community, this is where everybody that migrates from Las Vegas and falls into hard times, they migrate here because all of the nonprofits are around here, so we service everyone,” Nunez said.
As Giving Tuesday approaches, Nunez said they are always looking for more donations and will take absolutely anything they can get.
Restoration and Recovery says their doors are open to anyone facing hard times, and their next event is a toy giveaway on Dec. 20.
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