2017’s Chair Affair was an Affair to Remember
Our Toronto You Move Me and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises just wrapped up an affair to remember at 2017’s Chair Affair. A Furniture Bank partnership, this is an innovative fundraiser where designers show off their creativity by repurposing old chairs to be auctioned off.
At 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, we see first hand how many usable items get sent to the landfill each day. We’re passionate about giving new life to old items whenever possible. By partnering with Furniture Bank, we’re doing our part to help both the environment and people in need. These items go to people transitioning out of homelessness, refugees, newcomers to Canada, and families escaping abusive situations.
Furniture Bank serviced over 10,000 homes last year and diverted 2.9 million tonnes of usable furniture from the landfill. It is an honor to work closely with Furniture Bank on initiatives such as Chair Affair, and we think you can agree that the designers really outdid themselves this year. Take a look at some of this years amazing creations that were auctioned off for a good cause!
A Word From our Furniture Bank Partners
What a wonderful time we had sponsoring this year’s Chair Affair, alongside the event’s other fantastic partners REMAX/Hallmark and casalife. Each year, the planning committee at Furniture Bank surpasses their previous year’s accomplishment and, in our eyes, put together one of the best charity events of the calendar year. A big thank you to the designers, chefs and musicians who spun together an intoxicating and indelible evening. An even bigger thank you to the guests, who spent on sponsorship tables, designer chairs, excursions and the like. The event raised enough funds to furnish well over 300 homes, far exceeding any previous year. The time and energy required to accomplish such a feat is recognized by us and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute.
The community that has come together to support the Chair Affair event over the years, many of whom have donated time and resources away from their businesses all in the name of ending furniture poverty in our city, is humbling. This year in particular, I took some time to speak to the daily contributors that are the lifeblood of the Furniture Bank, such as Jim Connolly, who donates his time to run Furniture Bank’s workshop and personally trains participants as part of Furniture Bank’s LegUp Employment Program. Giving back to the community in such a way paves the way for others to pay it forward. Thanks to the leadership shown by Jim and others in the Furniture Bank family, starting in 2018, all 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and You Move Me employees will volunteer at the Furniture Bank as part of our Employment experience. Connecting with the recipients of the furniture we donate daily, and the volunteers and employees who make it happen, is an easy decision.
