CARROLLWOOD, Fla. — A Hillsborough County nonprofit that helps families get back on their feet is turning to the community, as they need help of their own. 

What You Need To Know

  • New Life Warehouse delivers donated furniture to foster families, people transitioning out of homelessness, refugee families and more

  • The nonprofit has been sharing space with Grace Family Church in Carrollwood at no cost

  • The church sold a portion of its property, and the new owners are taking over the warehouse space

  • New Life is now in need of a new space to operate out of

Stephanie Haile is passionate about helping people who are starting over. She started New Life Warehouse in 2020 — a nonprofit that collects furniture donations to give to people in need who are moving into new homes. Those helped include kids in foster care, people overcoming homelessness or even refugees from countries like Ukraine.

“People always think about them getting a place to live, but they don’t always think about what happens after that," Haile said. "When they walk in to their new place, they’re really excited, but then they realize they have nothing in it.

"These are people really, right now in Tampa, laying on the floor, sitting on the floor, eating on the floor and that’s a problem."

Over the past four years, Haile said New Life Warehouse has been able to help about 2,000 families. She said the need right now is huge, especially with the rising cost of rent.

“A lot of times, these moms want to go ahead and get their kids these beds and that’s great," Haile said. "But then when it’s time to pay rent again, they’re back in the negative in their checking account and they can’t pay their rent.”

New Life Warehouse is now looking for a fresh start itself. The nonprofit currently shares space with Grace Family Church in Carrollwood at no cost. But the church sold a portion of its property and the new owners are taking over the warehouse — leaving New Life no choice but to move out. 

“We use all of our money to buy beds and the items that we give to families," Haile said. "We have a very low overhead because we’re all volunteers. Whenever we have that extra money, we buy the things that families need.”

Haile is now looking for 10,000 square-foot warehouse space so she and her volunteers can keep doing their work. While the future is uncertain, Haile said she is holding on to her faith and staying hopeful. 

“We’ve seen all the amazing things that have already happened," she said. "We’ve seen God work — we’ve physically seen these things happen that we just know that it’s going to work out.”

New Life Warehouse officially has until May 3 to vacate their current space. Haile said they plan to start the move-out process in April and she hopes to have a new location by then.