Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is eligible to receive help from the Mississauga Furniture Bank?
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We can only service clients that live in Mississauga.
- How do I make a referral?
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Become a partner of the MFB. Email your inquiry to agencies@mississaugafurniturebank.org or follow the agency link for the referral form.
- Do you have baby items?
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No we do not stock baby items as we cannot guarantee their safety or recall status.
- Can the client contact the furniture bank directly?
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No, we only deal directly with the agency workers. The only time we contact the client is on the day before and of delivery to confirm that they will be home and to give them a delivery time.
- Can MFB help to bring the items into the homes?
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No, for liability reasons our staff and volunteers do not enter clients’ homes at any time.
- How many items can we order?
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So that we may serve as many families as possible we ask case workers to limit the size of their orders and to request only items most needed by the client.
- I would like to arrange for a pickup of my donated furniture this week. Can you accommodate this?
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We use a third party moving company to pick up donated furniture. We usually schedule two pickup dates per month. If you would like to be added to the pickup schedule (for a nominal fee) please contact us at info@mississaugafurniturebank.org or leave a message at 647-361-6950.
- Do you offer pick up in Brampton?
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We only offer pickup of donated furniture in the Mississauga area. If however, you would like to drop off your furniture at our warehouse, please contact us at info@mississaugafurniturebank.org or leave a message at 647-361-6950. Drop off is by appointment only. There isn't always someone at the warehouse, so arrangements must be made for someone to meet you there.
- How do I arrange to drop off my furniture?
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If you would like to drop off your furniture at our warehouse, please contact us at info@mississaugafurniturebank.org or leave a message at 647-361-6950. Drop off is by appointment only. There isn't always someone at the warehouse, so arrangements must be made for someone to meet you there.
- Why can I never reach someone live on the phone to talk to?
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Our phone line 647-361-6950 is a message line only. Our office workers only work part-time but we will endeavour to return your phone calls as soon as we can.
- Why do I have to pay a pick up fee?
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We do not own a truck so in order to offer a pickup service we must hire a third party carrier. They have to pay their staff as well as the cost of fuel to pick up and deliver the furniture to our warehouse. However, once we receive the donated furniture in our warehouse we do value the furniture, according to CRA guidelines, and send you a tax receipt for the assessed value.
- Can the movers pick up my furniture from the within the house? My furniture is in the basement or second floor and I can't move it to the garage or driveway.
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No, our liability does not cover the workers to enter homes at any time.
- Do I get a tax receipt for my pick up fee?
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The guideline states that for a donation receipt to be issued there must be a tangible benefit received. In the case of the furniture being donated this condition is satisfied. In regards to charges for the pickup, these fees are charged in order to cover the cost of the pickup. There is no tangible benefit received therefore no tax receipt may be issued in relation to the pickup fees collected. In all cases the net taxable benefit for the donated furniture will exceed the cost of the pickup fees. This is a win-win situation for both the donor and the charity’s ultimate.
- How do you calculate the value of my items donated for my tax receipt?
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Donations are valued at their average fair market value which takes into consideration the condition of the article being donated. Revenue Canada defines Fair Market Value as the highest price, expressed in dollars, that property would bring in an open and unrestricted market, between a willing buyer and a willing seller who are both knowledgeable, informed, and prudent, and who are acting independently of each other. Revenue Canada further states that if a receipt is being issued for a gift in kind (non-cash gift), it must reflect the fair market value of the gift. We have built an extensive database of various articles and we compare the donated item to this database in order to determine the Fair Market Valuation for the issuance of the tax receipt. The Mississauga Furniture Bank will issue an in-kind receipt for this donated value. It will be sent via email or mailed to you within 90 days from the pickup day.