Changing Lives.
Furnishing Homes.
This is Carolyn, who selected the perfect furniture vignette to make her house a home.
Our Vision Our Mission
The Green Chair Project reuses furnishings donated by our community to help our neighbors in need facing the challenges of homelessness, crisis and disaster.
Lives change when families and individuals are nurtured and sustained in well-equipped homes.
Our Values
From the desk of our CEO:
Last year, over 6,000 individuals in Wake County were without a home, and one in every 30 children was without a bed to call their own. We recognize that stable, well-furnished homes are foundational to transforming lives – supporting better health outcomes and reducing homelessness. This belief is the cornerstone of The Green Chair Project’s mission to provide furnishings and household essentials to those facing the challenges of homelessness, crisis, or financial hardship.
As I transitioned into the role of CEO last year, I found myself profoundly grateful for the unwavering support from partners, donors and sponsors, volunteers, and our staff and board of directors. Thanks to these extraordinary efforts, we managed to supply beds and cribs for 1,979 children, equip 1,436 households with essential furnishings, and repurpose or divert 1,059 tons of furniture and household items from landfills. Each one of our supporters stands as a true guardian for our neighbors in need throughout Wake County.
I am immensely proud of the accomplishments achieved by all our teams last year. Through the amazing efforts of our partners, the renewal of grants, several outstanding product sponsors, and the adoption of LEAN principles to enhance our operational efficiency, we were able to significantly increase our support to the community. This led to a substantial 17% increase in the distribution of beds and cribs, and an 11% increase in the number of households served the prior year.
As we move forward in 2024, our top priority is meeting the increasing demand for our services for those we so humbly serve. We are actively working to secure new partnerships, attract corporate sponsorships, and acquire additional resources to fund our programs. Additionally, we are expanding our outreach across the county to garner more furniture and essential household donations and to increase individual financial contributions from our very generous community.
The Green Chair Project remains the sole provider of new beds and cribs — and is the only organization operating as a furniture bank — in Wake County. This makes us uniquely positioned to serve families in need by helping transform their houses into homes. We invite you to join or continue your journey with us. There are countless ways you can contribute to making a difference, and we will always have a chair for you at our table if you are eager to help.
Rae Marie Czuhai Chief Executive Officer
How We Serve
We provide individuals and families with the household furnishings and essential home items they need to create a comfortable and nurturing environment through three cornerstone programs:
Essentials for Home - all the furnishings needed to make a house a home
Individuals and families receive carefully coordinated pieces of furniture, soft goods, artwork, and bath and kitchen wares, tailored to their preferred style and color scheme. They “shop” for these household packages, either on-site at our facility or virtually, empowering them with the normalcy and dignity of a true shopping experience.
Sweeter Dreams – a bed for every child in need
Research shows that a good night’s sleep positively influences a child’s learning, growth, and overall well-being. With 1 in 30 Wake County Public School students lacking a bed of their own, we help ensure every child in need has access to a new bed and pillow, sheets, and a comforter.
Shop for Good – every purchase empowers a brighter future
Not all of our essential furnishing and bedding needs can be met solely through donations from the community and our business partners. To fill the gap, we sell donated items that are eclectic, unique, or highly sought-after. Our shopping options include our website, ShopChairity.com, our retail partner Pig Fish Lane, periodic in-person shopping days at our facility, and our annual fundraising event, Chairity.
“It made my house into a home. It made me feel comfortable. I love my new dishes!”
“
I am speechless!
To say that you made our day is just a start! You sent us much more than we expected, thank you very much.
Client Served
“
*based on the number of families that responded to our surveys
Community Supporters
Without the support of these amazing organizations, the impact we delivered in 2023 would not have been possible. We thank them for their collaboration, generosity, and commitment.
Partner Agencies
Our ability to serve the community is made possible through partnerships with over 100 government and non-profit agencies. Case workers within these organizations are the first line of contact to clients and play a critical role in the referral process. Together, we can provide an unprecedented level of aid to previously underserved families, offering them tangible assistance and the opportunity for long lasting-stability. A sampling of our partner agencies include:
green chair Referral partners
For a full listing of our partner agencies, please visit our website.
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OUR INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS
Support from the community is a fundamental need at The Green Chair Project. We rely on more than 50 regular volunteers and dozens of groups from service organizations, businesses, church groups, and schools. Together they provide more than 10,000 hours needed each year to support our programs.
I have known what it’s like to have nothing. Green Chair gives a tremendous advantage and opportunity to start anew. It makes me feel good to help make ‘homes’ happen, especially for kids.
No one can say that the work of our mission is not important. Everyone can see the value.
AND AMAZING STAFF!
I love helping people, especially people like me! The kindness and love The Green Chair Project shows to its clients is life-changing in more ways than one. I’m so passionate about our mission and the volunteers working behind the scenes. These folks are my family!
-Amy Sigmon, Transportation & Donations Coordinator,and former client
A Little History
Our founders, Jackie Craig and Beth Smoot, found themselves in a familiar situation shared by many of their friends and neighbors; having items in their homes they no longer need, but not wanting to see them go to waste or end up in a landfill.
They were also keenly aware of the challenges faced by families transitioning out of homelessness, struggling to furnish their homes with essential items without assistance. Jackie and Beth envisioned collecting and repurposing these furnishings
to benefit their Wake County neighbors in need. This vision led to the creation of The Green Chair Project. Since 2010, The Green Chair Project has provided furnishings and essential home items that make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in the community experiencing hardship. From its tiny beginnings to the 32,000-square foot building it occupies today in downtown Raleigh, this growth represents the ever-expanding need for home furnishings and essential items that only The Green Chair Project provides.
Sweeter Dreams program created Community Housing & Disaster Recovery program Facility renovation Pivot to virtual shopping Bridge to Home grant 2010 2015 2018 2019 2020 2022
Green Chair is founded
Board of Directors
We appreciate the guidance and dedication of our board of directors in support of our mission to provide furnishings and essential home items that make a meaningful difference in the lives of our neighbors.
Board Leadership:
Vicky Serany Board Chair
Carrie Gray Secretary
Mujteba Haidri Vice Chair
Davion Cooper Treasurer
Astra Ball Past Chair
Ruth Thurmond Scott
Sontina Barnes Dan Cahill
Mandy Strickland
Avery Knight
Emily Wilson
Charles Royal
Lisa Marie Ferrell Sue Haberberger
Jodi Schwartz
Ready to Get Involved?
Your gifts and donations provide:
Make a financial donation to purchase a couch, bed or crib, kitchen package or bathroom bundle:
Donate your gently used furniture and household items. Scan here to schedule a free pick up!
