Correspondent photos / Sean Barron Rita Tate, president of Bess Purpose Inc., right, and her husband, Davanzo Tate Sr., stand next to a sign Friday that bears the business’s name at Gethsemane Church in Youngstown, which was recently donated to the nonprofit that assists mainly single-parent families, veterans and those who are homeless.

YOUNGSTOWN — A 2-year-old nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing donated furnishings to help primarily single-parent families, veterans, those who are homeless or victims of domestic violence, though perhaps the greatest gift it offers is one that can easily outlast a couch or chair.

“Our mission is to empower impoverished families,” Rita Tate, president of Bess Purpose Inc., said Friday afternoon. “We are growing and snowballing.”

Suffice it to say Tate herself feels more than a tinge of empowerment, because Bess Purpose, established Sept. 1, 2023, will soon have additional space in which to operate, because Gethsemane Baptist Church, 1727 Kincaid Road, on the West Side, was donated to the organization.

Making the building donation was Bernard Jackson, a longtime member, trustee and deacon, said Tate, who is a retired letter carrier and who also worked at the General Motors assembly plant in Lordstown as a floor manager.

At one time, a Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership Head Start program was conducted at the church, she added.

Bess Purpose lists as its overarching mission helping those it serves to uncover their true potential and take control of their lives. The “Live your purpose” mantra the organization adopted embodies the principles of growth, via providing resources, education and support; resilience to help clients believe in themselves and overcome obstacles; and positive change to encourage those it serves to take meaningful steps toward self-sufficiency and long-term success, according to its website.

“If they know better, they’ll do better,” Tate said.

Several volunteers are working to restore the structure, including Jariel Cruz-Garcia, 17, a Youngstown Rayen Early College High School student. He spent part of Friday afternoon painting what will be a storage room in the church basement, and his volunteerism also includes making deliveries and performing office work, he said.

Bess Purpose assists with housing needs and provides donated beds, tables and chairs, dressers, nightstands, sofas and other donated furnishings to qualified clients after they have been vetted and their specific needs established. For single-parent families with small children or infants, the organization also has provided diapers and related hygiene products, Tate said, adding that she typically conducts walk-throughs at potential clients’ homes and assesses what they need, then places the families on a schedule before delivering the items.

In addition, Bess Purpose has stepped in to assist some people to get back on their feet.

Tate recalled a young woman who was homeless and whose mother was incarcerated and her father not in her life. Bess Purpose navigated the woman through filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, and she currently attends Youngstown State University.

On other occasions, the organization has given donated TVs to veterans, along with washing machines and dryers, beds and living-room furniture.

Too often, those who served the nation “get lost in the sauce,” meaning they fall through the cracks, Tate said, adding, “We need to make our veterans know what they did for our country matters.”

Bess Purpose also considers clients’ mental well-being. If someone is potentially suicidal, depressed or exhibiting other signs of possible mental illness or problems, the organization will refer the person to Nora Mental Health on Belmont Avenue, she noted.

Making much of the organization’s outreach work possible is the array of partnerships it has cultivated within the last few years. Those include Sojourner House Domestic Violence Shelter, Compass Family & Community Services, Veteran’s Haven, the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, Clothed in Strength of Poland and Project Make Kids Count, Tate explained.

Also, Bess Purpose has a strong and vibrant relationship with Goodwill Area Industries Inc. and in many cases, it has distributed $25 vouchers to clients, she noted.

The nonprofit organization is to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late October at the church, at which the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber is expected to attend, Tate said.

On Friday, she thanked Home Depot for donating ceiling tiles for the church restoration efforts, as well as Lowe’s for donating paint and related supplies.

Bess Purpose, which also has locations in Warren and at 2302 McGuffey Road on Youngstown’s East Side, is seeking additional monetary and material donations. To make a contribution, go to the group’s website at www.besspurposeinc.com.