WANTAGH – For more than 127 years, the Family & Children's Association has been taking in runaways and homeless youth ages 10 to 21 in Nassau County. Through IKEA's Life Improvement Challenge, the nonprofit was selected to receive a gift of furniture used to recreate four girls bedrooms, six boys bedrooms and a living room in the organization's Nassau Haven, Walkabout and Veterans Residence facilities.

Designer Lorraine Waltz Gropper helped transform the rooms from institutional to peaceful. After many thank-yous, excited young residents showed perhaps the biggest sign of appreciation and respect – every one of them made their own bed.