Sofas For Service Story

Household furnishings, free to Veterans in need

“Sofas” had its start back in the winter of 2014-15 when Pete Hestekin started volunteering at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin.  He was made aware of some needs for the permanent residents there.  He asked his church congregation at “Saving Grace Lutheran” in Eau Claire, to help supply some of those needs such as underclothing and hygiene items.  The church was very supportive and provided items on multiple occasions.  Later, he became aware of a need for home furnishings for Veterans being placed in housing through the “Section 8 VASH HUD” program.  He again asked his congregation and the support was overwhelming.

Donation Guidelines

We accept most household furniture, small kitchen appliances (coffee makers, toasters, blenders, electric skillets, “George Foreman” type grills, etc.), dishes, flatware, food storage (i.e.: Tupperware (R)), cable ready flat screen TV’s, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, etc (we are in need of tall dressers).  

Veteran Requests

We do whatever we can to accommodate our vets requests for furnishings and household goods. If you have specific needs, please contact us and we will do our best to help. Please use the link below.

Available Items-Service Areas

We can provide veterans with furniture and household goods necessary to set up their living space. We just need a list of requested items. Please use the attached form to submit your preferences.

*Please note, when filling out the veterans request form: If you are looking for a specific item and it is not listed on the form use the fill in portion at the bottom of the page to submit your specific request. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Service Area

We are currently serving veterans in need in Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota within about a two hour from our warehouse in Altoona, WI. Limited exceptions may be made on a case by case basis.

If you are moving to one of the following counties: Brown, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Walworth, Washington, Jefferson, or Waukesha, please contact the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative https://www.mhvivets.org/ phone (414) 257-4111, email info@MHVIvets.org for services.

If you are moving to the Northern Illinois area, please contact the Veterans Path To Hope https://veteranspathtohope.org/ phone (815) 790-5103 info@vphope.org 

VETERAN REQUEST FORM LINK

f you live in the Eau Claire, Wisconsin area or are able to travel to our warehouse, with a vehicle to transport your goods, we invite you to visit and pick out the items you would like to furnish your home.  Call 715-309-9663 to arrange an appointment.

(If you live in the Eau Claire area, we can always use some help, please consider volunteering to help your fellow veterans)

Free delivery is available to veterans living in our service area. Please contact us for delivery options and requirements.

Volunteer

Volunteers are the backbone of our organization. Please consider giving some of your valuable time and energy.

Warehouse Help-Delivery Drivers-Administration

If you have a passion for “giving back”, especially to our veteran heroes, then volunteering with “Sofas for Service” may be where you’d like to feed your passion!

You can help out with muscle power in the warehouse or help with picking up and delivering furniture.  Delivering is where the “rubber meets the road”.  The feeling of walking into a home that is virtually void of any furnishings and leaving it fairly well furnished with new beds, kitchen wares, and furniture from lamps and recliners to wall décor is one that can leave one humbled and emotional, especially if there are young children.

If your passion is on the administrative side of an organization, we can use your help there also.  We are strictly volunteer and have no payroll but are a “non-profit corporation” with all the administrative needs any business has from managing a warehouse to tracking incoming/outgoing donations to writing grants.

Sponsor Support

Local business support of charities like ours is the key to success. Please patronize these businesses and let them know how much you appreciate their contributions to the community.

Small business makes a difference.

As Sofas for Service has expanded the need for continued financial support has grown, these companies and local businesses have stepped up to the plate and delivered.

Events

Upcoming Event

Open house at our new warehouse location, 1610 Spooner Ave, Altoona on Saturday, July 19, 2025 11 AM -2 PM. Tour the warehouse, learn about the organization and how it all started and talk to the dedicated volunteers that do the heavy lifting. We will fire up the grill and cook some hamburgers and hot dogs while they last.  See event Facebook page.

In the News

Hey we’re in the News. Sofas for Service success stories.

Media Coverage 

Please take a few minutes to view some of our recent success stories with local media. We’re making a difference and people are starting to notice.

Thank you to everyone that volunteers for this service. Everyone is amazing, friendly and caring. I felt very blessed and heartfelt. I’m so thankful this service is available when so many veterans are in need. I heard about this service through a veteran officer that works with Angie Craig in Minnesota. The VA, MACV and local government only mentioned it after I reached out to Angie Craig. Thank you again for everyone’s generosity and support. I’m forever grateful.

Anonymous