Furniture donation event to support humanitarian, sustainability efforts

Susan Johnston spent years of her life working — and eventually organizing — the clothing giveaway at Central Church of Christ in northwest Cedar Rapids, providing clothes for those in need.

When it came to Johnston’s attention that community members transitioning out of homelessness did not have access to furniture serving basic needs, she decided facilitating a clothing drive was not enough.

Johnston officially founded Central Furniture Rescue in 2019. The organization, now housed at 2275 16th Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids, collects furniture donations and gives the pieces free of charge to people who are moving into housing.

“We're humanitarian, but it's also sustainability,” Johnston said. “We're diverting all of this from the landfill.”

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Four years after founding the program, Johnston said she is working on one of Central Furniture Rescue’s largest collaborations to date.

On Friday, June 23, Central Furniture Rescue is collaborating with the Solid Waste Agency to hold a furniture drive. The event, taking place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., provides the community with an opportunity to drop off furniture items at the Solid Waste Agency’s main office parking lot.

In exchange for a piece of furniture, the Solid Waste Agency is offering a half-off voucher for a load of garbage. The voucher is only valid to be used on the day of the event.

Johnston said the furniture rescue is looking to meet basic needs for individuals, so the drive will accept items including sofas, coffee tables, bed frames, dressers and more. Items that will not be accepted include exercise equipment, clothes, pianos and outdoor furniture. The full list of acceptable items is on the Central Furniture Rescue website.

Along with certain restrictions on what items can be brought in, Johnston said a basic quality standard needs to be met.

“What I usually say is if you are comfortable giving this item to your best friend, then I'll probably take it,” Johnston said. “These are human beings we're giving them to, so let's create dignity and respect.”

Focusing on sustainability

Joe Horaney, the communications director for the Solid Waste Agency, said the event promotes an alternative to landfills for large furniture items that take up a lot of space. Horaney said the landfill is set to close in 2044, but based on the amount of trash coming in, the space will be full several years before that date.

“Space is at a premium out here at the Solid Waste Agency,” Horaney said. “We are filling up.”

According to Horaney, anywhere from 60 percent to 70 percent of the waste that ends up at landfills can be diverted somehow, whether that be reuse or recycling programs. Horaney said Central Furniture Rescue is listed on the Solid Waste Agency’s website, along with a few other alternate locations and opportunities, but they are not always seen by potential visitors.

“There's so many divergent opportunities, and it's too late when it gets out to us,” Horaney said. “We just don't have the time to police every load that's coming in.”

While Central Furniture Rescue has been linked on the Solid Waste Agency’s website for the past several years, this is the first official collaboration between the two organizations. If successful, Horaney said there is potential for similar events in the future.

Central Furniture Rescue also accepts donations on Monday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on the last Saturday of every month.

“This is kind of a next step in our working relationship with them,” Horaney said. “I think we're gonna see how this first event goes, and figuring out what works (and) if there's anything that can be improved.”

As a whole, Johnston said the drive offers a chance for community members to take an active role in helping those around them.

“I always talk about how community helps community, and people want to help — they just don't know how,” Johnston said. “We're giving them an opportunity.”

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