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You’re Invited: IIDA NY Launches FurnitureMatch™
June 23 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
NYC-Based Platform Connects Surplus Furniture with Nonprofits and Community Organizations to Drive Sustainability & Community Impact
FurnitureMatch™, a new platform advancing sustainability and circular economy within the built environment, will officially launch in collaboration with The International Interior Design Association’s New York Chapter (IIDA NY). The launch celebration will take place on Monday, June 23, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Allsteel Showroom (257 Park Avenue South, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10010).
The June 23rd event will offer attendees a firsthand look at the vision behind FurnitureMatch™, as well as opportunities to engage with the founders and changemakers behind the initiative. Guests are invited to join an evening of discussion, live music, photography, and art, highlighting the intersection of sustainability, design, and community engagement in New York City.
With support from IIDA NY’s Catalyst Committee and a network of designers, manufacturers, liquidators, nonprofits, and municipal agencies, FurnitureMatch™ aims to divert high-quality furnishings from landfills and deliver them to organizations that need them most.
By connecting the design industry’s excess inventory with local nonprofits and community programs, FurnitureMatch™ aims to reduce waste, extend product lifecycles, and drive social impact through thoughtful reuse. FurnitureMatch™ is built on a foundation of collaboration—working alongside circular economy experts, furniture manufacturers and liquidators, nonprofits, and organizations like the NYC Department of Sanitation to rethink waste and resource-sharing at scale.
“FurnitureMatch™ grew from a belief that surplus furniture could serve as a powerful catalyst for community transformation,” said Reem Makkawi, Executive Director & Co-Founder of FurnitureMatch™. “With over 8.5 million tons of office furniture sent to landfills in the U.S. annually, it’s clear we need better systems. We’re not just redistributing furniture, we’re reshaping how we value resources, people, and impact.”
Jennifer Graham, Director of Partnerships & Co-Founder of FurnitureMatch™, added, “There’s a significant disconnect between those with surplus furniture and the organizations that need it—not just in New York City, but nationally. FurnitureMatch™ aims to bridge that gap through design, logistics, and collaboration.”
Event admission is free. For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/furniturematch-launch-event-tickets-1380638600219?aff=oddtdtcreator.
About IIDA NY
The IIDA New York Chapter (IIDA NY)—an inclusive community of creative and diverse professionals, industry partners and students—celebrates design, encourages collaboration, shares knowledge and advocates for the interior design community. This professional networking and educational association provides invaluable resources to more than 700 members in 10 specialty forums to enhance their expertise, knowledge and contacts. IIDA NY is proudly committed to design advocacy, sustainability, civic engagement, student mentorship and development, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. For more information, visit: http://www.iidany.org/.