Watertown Urban Mission receives furniture from Fort Drum buildings

Furniture is leaving the Watertown Urban Mission as fast as it has come in recent months.

That’s because All Phase Services, Delray Beach, Fla., decided in December to donate furniture to the mission that was in 169 buildings on the old post on Fort Drum. The company has a contract to demolish the buildings, and company quality control manager James T. Martin Jr. said All Phase Services just wanted to see the furniture put to good use.

“All Phase could have stored it and sold this stuff, but we found a great home for it,” he said Thursday, as a truckload was delivered to the mission. “There’s a substantial amount.”

The Urban Mission’s Impossible Dream Thrift Store has had 21 truckloads delivered since December. Executive Director Erika F. Flint said the agency has only one truck of its own to transport the donated furniture. She said any volunteers with trucks, or moving companies that would be willing to donate their time to help, can call Tammy S. Kirch, Impossible Dream Thrift Store manager, at 782-0090.

Mrs. Kirch said once a truckload of furniture is delivered to the mission from the Fort Drum project, it’s all typically gone within one day.

“Because there’s so much, we’ve priced it fairly low, too,” she said. “Jim’s been a blessing.”

Mr. Martin said he knew donating the gently used bed frames, dressers, bunk beds, sinks and vanities, among other items, was the right thing to do after he toured the mission and saw the impact it had on the community.

Contents have been removed from about 50 buildings so far, and in the next couple of weeks, All Phase Services will begin demolishing the former barracks and administrative buildings circa World War II.

Urban Mission Director of Development Andrew G. Mangione said the Urban Mission typically gets a consistent supply of furniture, just not in this volume from one person or organization.

“We’ve been pleased with the amount,” Mr. Mangione said. “Certainly we were surprised to be contacted and to have a company be so generous to be willing to give back to a community they’re in for such a short time.”

People can purchase the recently donated furniture or other items at the Impossible Dream Thrift Store from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The store is at 247 Factory St.