Saying goodbye to its rented space on Reed Road, Christian ministry My Brother's Keeper cut the ribbon on its new 23,000-square-foot, $3.5 million facility Dartmouth on October 8.

My Brother's Keeper, which has served the area for the past 29 years, distributes used furniture to families who are getting settled after homelessness, have had a fire, or are simply struggling and need some help, said Josh Smith, facility director of the Dartmouth location.

The Dartmouth location opened in 2013 with 9,800 square feet of leased space at 999 Reed Road. The new building, located 100 yards up the street at 1015 Reed Road, features two times more space for its many volunteers, increased parking, a kitchen, and a prayer room.

"We collect used beds, couches, kitchen tables, and chairs," Smith said, "and we deliver them free-of-charge to families in need."

The facility was paid through grant funding and donations to the organization, which has 4,000 volunteers working among its Easton and Dartmouth facilities.

"The amount of volunteers we have is one of the reasons we needed this new facility," said Facility Director Josh Smith. "It's much larger than our other building [nearly] two-and-a-half times the size."

My Brother's Keeper also coordinates community service efforts for students from Bishop Stang, UMass Dartmouth, and Dartmouth High. About 500 students are volunteers.

Smith said that while the Dartmouth location currently only distributes furniture, My Brother's Keeper also coordinates a Christmas assistance program in the month of December -- collecting distributing gifts to families. It distributes food to families out of its Easton location.

Smith said he'd like to see those programs expand to Dartmouth, and with the new facility, it's a possibility.

"We just want to lift people up when they are having a really hard time," Smith noted. "Because we are a Christian charity, we give the gift of a cross with every delivery...They can accept or decline it...you don't have to be Christian to receive assistance from us."

For more information about My Brother's Keeper, visit www.mybrotherskeeper.org.