Volunteers Furnish Home of Veteran, Relocated Family

Willis Howard Jones and his family enjoying their new home furnishings. Menifee 24/7 photo: Kristen Spoon

On this day of Thanksgiving throughout the country, one Menifee family has a new reason for gratitude.

The family of Willis Howard Jones, a retired Marine Corps staff sergeant, sold most of their belongings and moved cross-country from North Carolina to Menifee four months ago. Jones, medically discharged after three deployments, brought his family west to be with his wife's ailing father.

After a short stay with relatives, the Jones family moved into a home of their own -- with virtually no furniture. That's where the non-profit group Furnishing Hope comes in.

Last Saturday, volunteers from that group showed up at the Jones home with a truck full of new furniture. While the family left the house for a few hours, volunteers filled the house with couches, chairs, dining room furniture, new beds for the children and more. When the Jones family returned, they were greeted by the volunteers and Menifee Mayor Scott Mann.

"Literally, we had nothing," said Gaby Jones, looking around the newly furnished home. "The only thing Willis and I had was our bedroom set. The boys had twin mattresses on the floor. That's it. They came in and basically did a home makeover.

"We've been trying to get our lives together here in California. Willis just finished truck driving school on Friday and I started working on the 16th. With this blessing, it's been that much better."

Furnishing Hope helps veterans who have relocated after leaving the military. Volunteers responded quickly after learning of the Jones' situation.

Willis and Gaby Jones live with Gaby's two sons from a previous marriage in a housing development near Heritage High School. Hills and open fields surround them. So too, now, do the furnishings that  make their home inside as comforting as the outside environment.

"I like how quiet it is, and all the farms around," said Willis Jones, who grew up in Michigan. "When I can't sleep at night, I go for a little walk with the dog. He like to chase coyotes. I just love it here. It's more humbling to me, being closer to the earth."

With things starting to come together for the Jones family, the Christmas season looks promising. They will welcome Willis' two daughters, who live with their mother in Georgia, for the holidays.

"We're so blessed to have this help," Willis Jones said about Furnishing Hope. "They paid for everything. They asked Gaby what her style was, colors, things like that. She said earth tones and they pretty much nailed it. We went in and looked at this same exact furniture set and she loved it."