How Carpentersville officials, Algonquin businessman helped furnish a family's home

Aaron Muller's desire to help those less fortunate is built into the foundation of his Algonquin resale store.

So when Carpentersville leaders approached him about a family in need of some furniture, he said, offering his assistance felt second nature.

Couches, tables, dressers and chairs were among the bedroom and living room pieces donated last month to a struggling mother and her three children, said Muller, owner of Barrington Resale Shop. He and a handful of village officials helped move the furniture into the Carpentersville residence, which also was brightened with artwork, lamps, rugs and other decorative items.

"If you can't make a place look like a home, it'll never feel like a home," Muller said. "When you see a life that needs almost rebuilding, a lot of different pieces of the puzzle need to come together. I'm so happy I could be one of those pieces of that puzzle."

The family, who was not identified for privacy purposes, was introduced to Carpentersville Trustee Maria Vela through her work as a parent-community support liaison for Community Unit District 300. Hoping to improve the home setting for the children, she said, she contacted Village President John Skillman in mid-November and asked if he knew anyone who could help.

A connection through the Rotary Club of Carpentersville-Morning led them to Muller, who jumped at the opportunity to return to his philanthropic roots.

His business started as a way to collect furniture for needy families, he said, though it transitioned into a resale store after the Recession.

"(Muller) opened his doors to us and basically gave us the option of just choosing whatever we could provide the family," said Vela, who will continue working with the family through the end of the academic year. "We want to support all of our residents (and) our community the best possible way we can, and we have an awesome team that is working to achieve those goals in Carpentersville."

After Skillman reached out to Barrington Resale, the group was moving furniture into the home within 24 hours, Muller said. Watching the family members' faces light up as they expressed their gratitude is a moment he said he'll never forget.

"I consider doing this kind of work a privilege, and I think John and Maria feel the same way. They're servants," Muller said. "There's a place in our hearts that can't be touched by anything other than the giving of ourselves. ... There was no doubt in my mind that we were doing the right thing."