The Green Chair Project has been a crucial conduit between vulnerable Wake County families & vital housing resources since 2010. From preparing furniture to packing other home essentials, our volunteers work hard to help our neighbors in need. When you see our trucks on the road, you can trust we’re on the way to offer our support. We hope you’ll join us.
About
Our Impact
1,687
This is the number of children our Raleigh, NC nonprofit has supplied cribs & beds for in 2022.
1,296
This is the number of households we supplied with essential needs & furnishings in 2022.
98
This is the percentage of Sweeter Dreams clients who previously slept on air mattresses, floors, sofas or shared beds.
100
This is the number of schools, nonprofits, and government
agencies we work with to serve our neighbors across Wake County.
Who & How We Serve
Today, Wake County, North Carolina, holds the second-highest county population growth nationally. Simultaneously, 95,200 residents live below the federal poverty line & cannot afford basic household furnishings. There is a cost to the coexistence of these statistics, and Green Chair’s mission is to ensure our community’s most vulnerable aren’t paying it.
We support individuals overcoming homelessness, crisis, or disaster through a collaborative model that works with 100+ Wake County nonprofits & partner agencies.
Families Who Experience Homelessness
The Green Chair Project provides furnishings & housing essentials to families transitioning into stable housing but struggling to secure household staples & vital essentials. Our services help supply critical resources and crucial financial relief, freeing families from cyclical housing insecurity and setting them toward empowered self-sufficiency.
Families Who Are In Crisis
Individuals referred to our team have faced various unimaginable adversities — domestic violence, international conflict, and addiction to name a few — but are all focused on one common goal: a fresh start. We equip them, often at no cost, with the essentials required for a nurturing environment and new chapter.
Families Who Experience Natural Disaster
As the sole household essentials nonprofit of our kind in Wake County — we can respond with centralized furnishing assistance at an unmatched scale. From local emergencies to statewide crises, our extensive network of agency partners, statewide vendors, and standing infrastructure allows our team to mobilize and provide immediate relief in the face of unfathomable realities.
Children Who Lack A Bed to Sleep In
A great school year starts at home, and a great school day starts with a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, for the 1 in 30 Wake County Students today without a bed of their own? Restful nights are few & far between.
Through our Sweeter Dreams Program, we’re working to ensure every child in Wake County gets a restful sleep and has the foundations for a brighter future.
Our History
2010
Jackie Craig and Beth Smoot found that friends and neighbors had too much stuff in their homes — stuff that no one wanted to waste but was no longer needed. With this in mind, the pair founded The Green Chair Project in 2010 to collect and reuse essential furnishings to benefit their Wake County neighbors in need.
Watch how The Green Chair Project got its start in this mini-documentary made nearly a decade ago.
2015
Green Chair expanded its outreach efforts, focused on providing beds, cribs and sleep essentials to Wake County children & infants in need. Our Raleigh, NC nonprofit created The Sweeter Dreams Program and to date, has supplied (and delivered) more than 8,000 beds to families across our community.
The Sweeter Dreams program was created in response to requests from school social workers, with an initial grant from Mark & Renae Newmiller in honor of their sweet Ella Newmiller who died of brain cancer. It was originally called “Ella’s Sweeter Dreams”.
2018
When Hurricane Florence ravaged Wilmington, NC in 2018, The Green Chair Project mobilized to provide vital aid to vulnerable families. The organization expanded its statewide & national resource networks, sourced inventory & storage, and altogether coordinated centralized essentials when it was needed most. Afterward, our Community Housing & Disaster Recovery program was born.
2019
In 2019, construction is completed on The Green Chair Project’s major renovation as part of its strategic planning, completely transforming its facility for staff, visitors, and clients. The Raleigh, NC nonprofit headquarters officially opens at 1853 Capital Blvd in Downtown.
2020
In 2020, the Green Chair team pivoted to remotely provide aid: transitioning its store-front to an e-commerce platform, creating a 24/7 virtual showroom for consultations, and providing accessible online care without compromising a compassionate approach or client dignity.
2022
In 2022, Wake County’s “Bridge to Home” grant further cemented TGCP as an integral component of its long-term affordable housing & community rehabilitation efforts.
Today, as the sole nonprofit of its kind in Wake County, and the largest in existence operating under its sustainable, collaborative referral model — TGCP is a leading authority on sustainably-driven, furnishing essential services.
“Today, The Green Chair Project is providing the same amount of beds in a week to Wake County children that, five years prior? We would’ve provided in a month. Our team shows up for our neighbors-in-need — supplying life-altering home essentials, securing stable environments and supporting our community’s most vulnerable when it’s most vital.”
Rae Marie Czuhai, Chief Executive Director
Our Values
Thanks to our extensive network of agency partners and local nonprofit teams in Raleigh NC, the Green Chair is able to nimbly respond to crisis situations in a capacity that other nonprofits lack the structure, organization, and expertise to sustain. We promise to deliver an exceptional experience for all through our core values seen below.
Choice
We believe that everyone should be empowered to create and equip their home environment.
Green
We prioritize reusing household essentials without compromising our quality standards.
Nimble
We remain flexible to creatively respond to changing needs in our community.
Dignity
We are committed to growing in our understanding through our work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Stewardship
We are resourceful and trustworthy, with the resources we are given.
Collaboration
We work together as a unified team that values relationships with our community, partners, supporters, and colleagues.
Compassion
We serve with kindness and understanding.
Meet Our Team
