Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2025 April)
Gracing Spaces is a nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers. They help people who are transitioning from experiencing homelessness to living in a home by providing furniture and household goods. Volunteers collect donated items, sort them, and repair them if needed. They use these donated items to fulfill requests from social workers who are helping their clients furnish their new homes. Gracing Spaces ensures that every client has what they need to enjoy their home, making them feel comfortable and cared for from the start. The assistance provided by Gracing Spaces also helps their clients avoid the high cost and stress of trying to furnish a home on a tight budget.
The Evolution of Gracing Spaces
Gracing Spaces began with an unusual request. In 2004, the daughter of Gracing Spaces’ founder, Kathie Baumgart, told her loved ones that instead of a bridal shower, she wanted them to perform a makeover on a halfway house in Washington, D.C. The house had been housing men but would begin housing women. Jack Baumgart, Kathie’s husband, recalls, “In three different sessions, we went level by level. We overhauled the house. We did minor construction and repairs. We provided all the furniture and the paint, the window dressings, bedding, and kitchenware. It went from a bare house to a walk-in, ready-to-go situation.”
After that first makeover, Gracing Spaces became a ministry led by Kathie Baumgart at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfax and Clifton. Volunteers collected donated furniture and household goods, then worked with social workers to furnish the homes of clients who were transitioning from experiencing homelessness to living in a home. The ministry grew over the years, helping more people and attracting more volunteers. In 2022, Gracing Spaces became an independent nonprofit organization, and in July 2024 they moved into their own space in Burke.
Even with their limited space, Gracing Spaces volunteers have been able to accomplish a lot. In 2024, they served 1,457 clients, converting empty houses and apartments into welcoming, furnished homes. The group fulfills approximately 10-15 requests from social workers each week.
Many of the people who volunteer with Gracing Spaces have been involved from the beginning and while their ability to carry heavy furniture up a flight of stairs has lessened, their enthusiasm for the mission has not.
Jack Baumgart
Jack Baumgart has been a part of Gracing Spaces since day one. While his wife, Kathie, led the organization, Jack also took on a major role – driving the Gracing Spaces box truck to pick up donations of furniture and other household items. For nearly 20 years, he and Kathie worked to support and build the ministry until Kathie passed away in 2021.
Jack has retired a few times – first from the U.S. Air Force, and then from a job with a defense contractor. Now fully retired and 79 years old, Jack continues to volunteer with Gracing Spaces but has handed off the driving and hauling to others. Most of his work now involves making small repairs to some of the donated furniture. He is also putting his carpentry skills to use, converting unwanted dining room table leaves into benches and coffee tables. He got the idea because many of the people they serve ask for small dining tables due to limited space, which had led to a surplus of unused leaves.
When asked why he keeps volunteering, Jack says, “It makes you feel good. It’s an opportunity to help people actually achieve their dreams.” For anyone who is interested in volunteering but is only available on the weekends, he suggests signing up for one of their weekend home makeovers. “When those things are scheduled, that’s a great opportunity for somebody to dip their toe in the water and see how things are going and get to know some of the people,” he says.
Rosalyn (Roz) Knapp
Roz Knapp retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1991. Several years after her retirement, she began attending Lord of Life Lutheran Church and a fellow member suggested that she get involved with Gracing Spaces. Noticing that Roz was good at pairing furniture and decorative items, Kathie Baumgart asked her to serve as a decorator.
Fifteen years later, Roz, who is now 85 years old, still serves as a decorator. Each week, she reviews the orders that are placed and based on the composition of each family, selects furniture that will best meet their needs. After selecting furniture, she moves on to decorative items such as framed artwork, lamps, and throw pillows. She is always mindful about how everything goes together and whether it will serve the family’s needs. “We try to make it look like a home where it belongs together. It’s not just random stuff. I try to find pillows that make it homey and comfortable,” she says.
While the work is fun, Roz also feels that it keeps her mind busy and gives her purpose, saying, “I think it’s helpful to a person who’s retired to have something to wake up for. You don’t need to do it every day. You can do it at your own pace. There are so many volunteer opportunities in any community that you can find something to do that carries over a previous career or talent that you have, or you can find something new that you enjoy doing.”
Scott Daniels
Nearly 20 years ago, Scott Daniels joined fellow church members from Lord of Life Lutheran Church on a mission trip to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina. The trip left a lasting impression and shaped how he planned to spend his time once he retired. “I was so taken by that whole situation and the need and the sense of helping other people that are in crisis that I made it a goal that when I retired, I would end up doing volunteer work like this,” he says.
Scott began volunteering with Gracing Spaces after retiring from his career working in human resources. After a few years, he took over the job of driving the truck and picking up donations. While the work is hard, Scott truly enjoys it, especially dealing with the donors. “Working with donors is fantastic. They are so generous, so kind, so giving. They are genuinely so happy that their furniture is going to somebody in need,” he says. In addition to helping people, Scott is happy that Gracing Spaces is keeping useful furniture out of the landfill.
While Scott’s main goal is to help others, the 64-year-old says that his volunteer work has helped him too. “It keeps me active. It keeps me in shape. It keeps me much healthier than I would be otherwise,” he says. He has also formed tight bonds with other Gracing Spaces volunteers, as well as the social workers, school counselors and other nonprofits as they all work toward a common goal.
Mary Amos
At 89 years old, Mary Amos is Gracing Spaces’ oldest volunteer. She is also one of the longest serving volunteers, joining the organization 18 years ago. As a military spouse who moved 25 times during her husband’s career, she has great empathy for people who are starting over from scratch.
Mary oversees linens and bedding at Gracing Spaces. Like Roz, she carefully considers the orders they get each week and tries to find items that are appropriate for each family member. She takes great care with how she selects and prepares the bedding, saying, “I like designing bedding to where it matches because most of the donations don’t match. I can put them together to look very attractive. I put ribbons around them, so they look like a gift in a way. Anything to make it look a little better, so people know it’s the best that we have, so they know that we care.”
Mary’s volunteer work is not limited to Gracing Spaces. She was active with FACETS (Fairfax Area Christian Emergency Transition Services) for many years and enjoys helping at her church, pitching in wherever she is needed. “I’m very elated about volunteering. Since I have the ability to give my time and energy, it’s a very good feeling for me to be able to know that I’ve done something that has benefitted someone else,” Mary says.
To learn more about Gracing Spaces, visit their website at gracingspaces.com. When you visit, you’ll see what items are needed each week and the types of furniture and household goods Gracing Spaces accepts. You can also schedule pick up of your donations.
New volunteers are always welcome and needed. Visit their website to learn more about volunteer opportunities and sign up to volunteer.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).