Mobile Menu

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • TWE & TEAM
    • CONTRIBUTORS
  • PODCASTS
  • INTERVIEWS
    • TWE STORIES
  • BOOKS
    • 20 WOMEN STORYTELLERS
    • 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • SEARCH THIS SITE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH: LISTEN TO Ginger Zee, ABC Meteorologist, On Facing and Healing From Trauma

Your browser does not support the audio element.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • ADVERTISE

TWE Logo 2

The World As We See It

Header Right

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • TWE & TEAM
    • CONTRIBUTORS
  • PODCASTS
  • INTERVIEWS
    • TWE STORIES
  • BOOKS
    • 20 WOMEN STORYTELLERS
    • 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • SEARCH THIS SITE

Treger Strasberg Humbly Designs Homes for Detroit’s Homeless

May 30, 2012 //  by Pamela Burke//  3 Comments

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Email

 

Treger Strasberg, founder Humble Design in Detroit/Photo: Courtesy Treger Strasberg

UPDATE September 10, 2013: Humble Design is now helping five families a week. It’s become Treger’s passion and she’ll be sharing news about it on this weekend’s The Women’s Eye Radio Show on 1480KPHX.com at 2PM PDT.

UPDATE July 25, 2013: From Treger: We are currently furnishing 39 brand new units for chronically homeless on the east side of Detroit. Our company has grow leaps and bounds and we are now in Austin, Texas as well!

By Stacey Gualandi/May 30, 2012

TWITTER: @smtreger

I am a Michigander, born and raised in Detroit.  So when I heard about Treger Strasberg and what she is doing to help so many who are struggling during the Motor City’s economic woes, I had to reach out and share her story.

“…we cannot fail if we help one family and change the destiny of one child or one mother.”  Treger Strasberg

In 2009, this wife and mother co-founded the non-profit Humble Design.  The company was born out of her desire to help mothers and children coming out of homeless and abuse shelters rebuild their lives.  Humble Design takes gently-used donated home goods and furniture and repurposes them, helping to “furnish a family’s future.”

Treger Strasberg from Humble Design with Poole Family in Detroit
Treger and co-founder Ana Smith with Poole family after home makeover

Treger’s unselfish act has now brought her to television.  Beginning June 1st, Treger and her life-changing design company will be featured in “Motor City Rising,” a new original series on OVATION that “explores the lives of Detroit locals fighting to thrive in a city many have given up on.”  She’ll also be appearing in upcoming episodes.

I had the opportunity to speak with Treger via Skype about being on TV, her mission, and working with families in need.  (You can also hear her on an upcoming The Women’s Eye Radio Show.)   Below you can also read more about how she is helping to give people a second chance in the city I once called home…

EYE:  What drives you to do what you do for other people…often people you don’t even know? Did you or someone you know experience a difficult time?

TREGER:  I believe that everyone is a diamond in the rough. Everyone deserves the chance to do great things with their lives. Some people need a push in the right direction, some people just need to feel faith in humanity again. I love when I get to see the dawn of recognition on our clients faces when they realize that we are going to really help them and that things are going to change.

Bedroom design by Treger Strasberg, Humble Design, in Detroit
The McMillan girls in their new playroom

The feeling is indescribable. I cry, they cry. We hug. We are bound together by their hardship. I always think of the proverb that when joy is shared, it doubles and when sorrow is shared, it divides in half. I began Humble Design helping someone that I worked with.  She was my contemporary and I was very effected by the news that she was struggling as much as she was.

She hid it so well.  She must have come to work each day with such a heavy weight on her shoulders. It makes me sad just thinking about it now. Helping an individual that I knew was a wonderful experience, but by the end of our process, I feel like I know all our clients.

EYE:  If we didn’t have people like you, what would Detroit and our society become?

TREGER:  There is no way to imagine a world without people like me because everyone is a person like me. We all care; we are all concerned.  Most of us just don’t know what to do or where to start. It is very hard to bridge the gap between charity given and the people it is given to.

If we could all see the effect our charity has, it would be easy to solve larger issues, one family at a time. Detroit is a child that we all want to cuddle, and help, but we are afraid to begin lest we fail. But we cannot fail if we help one family and change the destiny of one child or one mother.

Treger Strasberg and partner Ana from Humble Design
Treger and her co-founder Ana Smith

EYE:  What are your future plans for Humble Design?

TREGER:  This is a tricky question because we are experiencing growing pains right now as a company. My partner, Ana Smith, and I love the one-on-one relationships we have with the clients and the personal touches we are able to design the houses with.

Unfortunately, our waiting list grows and far too many people are sleeping on the floor. This makes us lose sleep at night. We can help more people if we up our intake, but we may not get to them all personally. We decided on a hybrid of both of these ideas.

We help a larger amount of clients but choose two or three a month to focus our design skills and attention on. As we grow and hire more staff, we hope to continue the personal connections we enjoy so much. We have had great success in hiring past clients as intake specialists. They can speak to the needs of our clients and create a bond that is based on shared experience.

Bedroom that Treger Strasberg and Humble Design have designed
Bedroom makeover by Humble Design

EYE:  Do you hope more people take your lead?

TREGER:  Our dream is to have motivated people across the company franchise the business model and help people nationwide. There is so much need and so few resources for families leaving the shelters. This leads to a cycle of homelessness that is costly and demoralizing for our country.

Most of our clients stay in the houses they procure after leaving the shelter because they take pride in their home and want to work hard to stay there. The effect spreads through blocks and neighborhoods. By removing the obstacles facing previously homeless families we can increase their chances of breaking the cycle of chronic homelessness.

EYE:  What is the biggest reward for you?

TREGER:  I am addicted to the moment when the family sees the furniture for the first time. Sometimes they are home on a “move day” and sometimes they choose to be surprised. Either way, the effect is the same. For the mothers, I see relief.  For the children, I see comfort and overwhelming joy.

Even though we try to supply a ton of toys for the kids, the best gift by far is their own beds. Most of our clients have been sleeping on the floor for years. Some children have NEVER had a bed to call their own. I have seen 11-year-old children burst into tears at the sight of their first bed and mothers slump in relief as they sit down on the edge of theirs.

Treger Strasberg's Humble Design fixes living room for homeless in Detroit
New living room by Humble Design

EYE:  What did you think about being on TV for OVATION’S “Motor City Rising?”

TREGER:  It was more work than I imagined it would be and some days went on forever, but I am eternally grateful to Ovation network and Working Pictures for filming this for us. We have a record of what we do, and even though I cry in nearly every scene, I think this show will do amazing things for Detroit.

EYE:  What have you learned about yourself? About the people you help??

TREGER:  I have learned how to be humble every day and teach my kids the same. I will occasionally take them to see where their bed went, or where their teddy bear lives now. It is touching, and I feel very important in their development and in mine.

I am very grateful for the blessings I have in my life, and every day at Humble forces that into the front of my brain. The ideas I had about what a homeless person looks and acts like have been decimated by the last three years of Humble Design.

Everyone in this country has been touched by hard times, some more than others. But I never forget how close we all are to the edge and how we are all in need of kindness at one point in our lives.

EYE:  Treger, I thank you.  I hope your idea spreads like wildfire!!!  Be sure to watch Treger on the premiere of “Motor City Rising,” Friday, June 1, at 10PM ET and 7PM PT on OVATION.

Lead photo of Treger Strasberg courtesy Working Pictures

###

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Email

Category: Person of the DayTag: Ana Smith, Designer, Detroit, Homeless in Detroit, Humble Design, Motor City, Motor City Rising, OVATION, Stacey Gualandi, Treger Strasberg

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to The Women's Eye
and get our latest updates in your Inbox!

You can unsubscribe at any time.

Related Posts

If you liked this post, you might also be interested in these:

PERSON OF THE DAY: Andra Good Honors Best Friend’s Legacy with Leigh’s Blankies

Cassie Ho and Stacey Gualandi

PERSON OF THE WEEK: POP Pilates Star Cassey Ho On Expanding Her Fitness Empire

Kristy Ling, author Operation Happiness/Photo: Wally Hawkins

PERSON OF THE DAY: Author Kristi Ling’s 3-Step Plan To Being Happy

Lizzie Velasquez documentary A Brave Heart

PERSON OF THE DAY: Lizzie Velasquez Stars in New Anti-Bullying Documentary

Author Laurie King shares her true stories from "Lost Kidnapped Eaten Alive"

Author Laurie McAndish King Gets ‘Lost Kidnapped Eaten Alive!’

Mitzi Montoya, ASU Dean of Innovation at 85 Broads Luncheon 3/3/14

Innovation Dean Mitzi Montoya on Rock Stars in STEM

Patricia Sexton LIVE from Mongolia

Patricia Sexton’s Journey from Wall Street Banker to Anchorwoman in Mongolia

New York TImes bestselling author Anne Lamott

PERSON OF THE DAY: Author Anne Lamott Stitches Life Back Together

Llinda Ronstadt at Changing Hands/Oct. 2013/book event

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Linda Ronstadt Shares Her Simple Dreams

Iditarod racer Cindy Abbott and her pup

PERSON OF THE DAY: Cindy Abbott’s Test of Courage Racing in the Iditarod

Madeleine Albright

Madeleine Albright Presents “Prague Winter”– A Personal Story

Anne Lamott Interview about her book, Help, Thanks Wow | The Women's Eye Interview

Anne Lamott on Writing, Prayer and the Secret to Life

Previous Post: «Best Moments from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Special on 20-20 TOP 10: Best Moments from Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on ABC
Next Post: TOP 10: Sheryl Sandberg’s Inspiring Speech at Harvard Business School Sheryl Sandberg at Harvard Business School Commencement»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deborah Girardin

    January 26, 2016 at 6:54 am

    How do I get help getting some furniture? Plz help

    Reply
    • Pamela Burke

      January 26, 2016 at 12:06 pm

      Here is the link to the Humble Design website. http://www.humbledesign.org/. You can get more information about their organization there.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Footer

Inspiration

Many times it takes enormous determination and courage in the face of fear and uncertainty. Leading is about passion. Stand up and do it if something needs changing.

Holly Gordon, Producer Girl Rising

TWE Podcasts

SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Search our Archives

  • ABOUT THE WOMEN’S EYE TEAM
  • TWE Radio/Podcasts
  • TWE Interviews & Stories
  • Contact Us

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2010–2022 by The Women's Eye, L.L.C. All rights reserved · Privacy Policy | Terms of Use