Humble Design San Diego Helping 500th Family Escape Homelessness
Turning empty residences into custom-designed furnished homes in

The nonprofit group Humble Design San Diego is furnishing its 500th home for a family escaping homelessness on April 24.
The event, set for April 24, is a joyful testament to the power of community and compassion in the ongoing fight against the homeless epidemic.
From 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday in
Mercedes’ journey included significant assistance from Interfaith Community Services, which supported her family at a local shelter and helped them secure housing earlier this year.
“This day is about so much more than furniture — it’s about dignity, healing, and a new chapter,” said Laura Lavoie, Executive Director of Humble Design San Diego. “Mercedes, like all of our Humble clients, has overcome immense challenges with strength and determination. We are honored to celebrate her story as our 500th.”
Members of the media wanting to attend the home reveal can email Lavoie at laura@humbledesign.org for additional details.
Since opening its doors in 2018, Humble Design San Diego has transformed the homes and lives of more than 1,200 people (including 700-plus children and 60 veterans) by turning their empty housing units into warm, inviting homes. With the support of more than 50 social service referral partners like Independent Living Systems and Interfaith, Humble Design helps clients take the critical last step from homelessness to enduring stability.
A 2024 UC San Diego Homelessness Hub study backs the nonprofit’s impact, finding that
UCSD’s findings, released in August 2024, were based on a 10-month study that included 169 surveys and 30 interviews with Humble Design San Diego clients. The study underscores that having a home in which people can invest, and not just housing, is a powerful social determinant of health and well-being.
Humble Design’s model is dependent upon community-donated furnishings, philanthropic funding, and volunteer power, creating a tangible way for the public to take part in helping their neighbors to escape homelessness.
Founded in 2009 in
Do you have a business, church group, or team of friends interested in helping their neighbors and making a genuine difference in the community? Sign up for a day of service at https://www.humbledesign.org/day-of-service.
About Humble Design San Diego
Humble Design welcomes people home, so that lives are changed for good. Humble Design helps individuals, families, and veterans to break the cycle of homelessness by transforming empty housing into personalized, fully furnished homes. Upon receiving Humble’s services,
About U-HAUL
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Laura Lavoie, Executive Director
Humble Design San Diego
617-283-6675
laura@humbledesign.org
Source: U-Haul Holding Company