How The Green Chair Project gives your gently-used furniture new life

This article was written for our sponsor, Whitley Law Firm.

We all have old furniture that needs a new home, but what if your old furniture could truly make a difference in a family’s life? That's where the Green Chair Project comes in. A local charity in Raleigh, NC, the Green Chair recycles furnishings donated by the community to help families who are overcoming the challenges of homelessness, crisis, and disaster have the dignity of a well-equipped home. “It's a lot easier to part with our things when we can picture how they’re going to help somebody else,” said Jackie Craig, CEO and co-Founder of the Green Chair Project.

Since its founding in 2012, the Green Chair Project has grown into the state’s leading non-profit of its kind, helping over 6,000 households to date. The Green Chair sheds a light on the surprising number of families within the community who often don’t have the means to furnish a new home, especially those who were recently faced with homelessness, escaping domestic violence situations, or might just not earn enough to make ends meet, let alone decorate their home. The issue is only growing more prevalent as the cost of living continues to sharply increase. Jackie added, “The Green Chair puts a face on the need in the community so it's a lot easier to part with your couch rather than getting $100 for it on Craigslist.”

The Green Chair provides things that are in good, usable condition to those who need them most in the community. Currently, the organization helps more families in a week than they would in a month pre-COVID, and the organization is constantly looking for in-demand furniture like couches to help furnish the community.

The organization also partners with 90 social service agencies so that items can get to where they will truly make the most impact. One startling statistic the Green Chair is working to lower is the number of children without a bed of their own. Every night, nearly 6,000 children within the Raleigh area sleep on the floor. A donation of just $250 can provide a child with a full-equipped bed so that they can get the sleep they need to stay healthy.

The Green Chair is also committed to helping furnish homes for families after natural disasters like Hurricane Florence and providing on-call support during times of crisis. It’s clear that the Green Chair is making a sizable impact within the community and was named the American Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Partner of the Year, with this organization stepping up for the community year-round as well as during times of disaster.

This important work is something that Whitley Law Firm firmly supports. “It’s really important for our firm to be present in the community and to give back to the community that we serve, in fact, it’s part of our mission statement,” said Ben Whitley. He added, “The reason I like the Green Chair Project, especially now, the cost of living has gone up for a lot of folks which affects lower-income families more directly. The Green Chair Project can restore a lot of dignity.”

Whitley Law Firm, a personal injury attorney for the Raleigh, North Carolina area, has partnered with Green Chair to help raise awareness of their work in the community. Whitley Law Firm is proud to support the Green Chair Project and its mission to help those in need in our community. About 40% of Green Chair's work is done by volunteers, and they can always use more help. If you’d like to support the Green Chair Project’s great mission, learn more about how you can donate your time, furnishings, or financial support. “They need to be heard of more, they’re doing great things here, and that's one of the reasons I wanted to get them recognized as solving such a prevalent issue,” said Ben.

This article was written for our sponsor, Whitley Law Firm.