by Raleigh Magazine | Sep 30, 2025 | Do, September 2025
Let’s make a difference together.
Housing vulnerability is easily the biggest issue facing our city—and this year, our annual Give Raleigh campaign is dedicated to the cause, launching Oct. 1 in partnership with the Cooper Charitable Foundation and TowneBank + Towne Insurance. Join us for the official kickoff event at Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen Thursday, Oct. 2, from 5–7pm in an effort to help secure safe, stable homes for neighbors.
Tickets for the kickoff event are on sale now to benefit the Give Raleigh campaign. The evening will also include food, beverages, live music from Adam Lee Decker, and an online auction with some super exciting prizes (!).
Cooper Charitable Foundation serves housing stability grants to the following, which touch housing vulnerability across all demographics and needs:
Can’t make it? Donate directly to Give Raleigh here!
by Melissa Howsam | Aug 30, 2022 | September 2022, Stuff
The Green Chair Project’s new and expanded Chairity 2022 Celebrating Home event
WHEN YOU GO TO “pick your path to chairity,” settle on The Green Chair Project— and specifically its bolstered Chairity 2022 Celebrating Home annual fundraising event. Since its launch in 2010, The Green Chair Project has helped 22,300+ locals begin anew in the face of homelessness, crisis and disaster.
With an MO of “furnishing homes, changing lives,” the local nonprofit reuses essential community-donated furnishings to nurture and sustain those in need via well-equipped homes.
Now back—and bigger and better than ever—this year’s 10th iteration is a two-day “chairity” event that auctions reimagined chairs by such top local designers as Colorful Concepts Interior Design and Design by Tula, plus designer showrooms by 40+ top NC designers, including the likes of Design Lines and La Maison Raleigh. A real draw, the room and furniture displays will also spotlight new and reimagined pieces (all for sale) from premier manufacturers (think wallpaper, fabrics, rugs, lighting—and furniture, natch).
“Our community is only as good as all of the people who live in it,” says Southern Studio Interior Design founder Vicky Serany, “and I think we have an obligation to give back and help others.”
All ticket and furnishing sales benefit Green Chair to help provide children with a bed of their own, as well as essential furnishings for families like dressers, lamps and artwork to, in essence, help make a house a home. “The most meaningful part of home is not just the roof over our heads,” says Executive Director Jackie Craig. “It’s about the things that we fill it with that meet our basic human needs, feed our souls and nourish our lives.”
Beyond high-end designer showcases, upping the feel-good fun factor are a host of on-site home furnishing experts, local chefs, book authors and more. Sept. 16 & 17, thegreenchair.org
by Lauren Kruchten | Nov 7, 2019 | Do, November 2019
There are probably a thousand things in your home that you don’t want anymore: that guitar you bought and never learned how to play; your kid’s first generation iPhone; the horribly uncomfortable chair in your living room. And while many of us don’t have extra cash laying around, most of us have plenty of extra stuff to donate to folks who could put it to good use. In honor of National Philanthropy Day on November 15, we compiled a list of places where you can donate some of those unwanted items.
ELECTRONICS
InterAct partners with Cellular Recycler to collect used cell phones, laptops, digital cameras and video game systems. A portion of the electronics sales goes toward InterAct’s mission of rebuilding lives and ensuring safer futures for those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. interactofwake.org
FURNITURE
The Green Chair Project takes upholstered chairs, dressers, sofas, dining tables and chairs—in good condition—to donate to those transitioning from homelessness. thegreenchair.org
SPORTS EQUIPMENT
A Raleigh family started DonateSport.org to provide sporting clothing and gear to children in need. The nonprofit accepts jerseys, warm up shirts, shorts, pants and jackets and equipment for all sports. Drop off your donations at WRAL Soccer Park. donatesport.org
BOOKS
Donate used books and audiobooks to any Wake County Public Libraries. The books will be sold online through a secondary vendor or at the libraries’ annual book sale. wakegov.com/libraries/pages/default.aspx
TIRES
Wake County’s Multi-Material Recycling Facilities accept unwanted tires; rims must be removed. wakegov.com/recycling/pages/default.aspx
BUSINESS ATTIRE
Donate your gently used business suits and other professional attire—including jewelry, briefcases and scrubs—to Dress for Success. The organization will pass it along to women looking to enter or return to the workforce. trianglenc.dressforsuccess.org
ARTS AND CRAFTS SUPPLIES
Art Intimacy partners with Neighbor to Neighbor’s Enrichment Arts Programs and Little Makers Academy’s STEAM Integration Initiative to increase artistic opportunities for children. Accepted donations include easels, poster paper, canvases, paints, brushes, crayons, sewing supplies and more. artintimacy.org
MEDICATIONS + MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Alliance Medical Ministry accepts wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, CPAP machines, canes, medical beds and more, as well as sealed, unopened medications, including over-the-counter medicines, allergy medicines and vitamins. alliancemedicalministry.org
APPLIANCES
Habitat for Humanity ReStores will take working, 10 years old or newer electric ranges and ovens, refrigerators/freezers, washers/dryers, dishwashers, water heaters and HVAC units. Free pick-ups can be scheduled if you have at least two large, qualifying items to donate. wakerestore.org
TOYS
Just outside Raleigh, Zach’s Toy Chest has several locations that accepts toy donations for infants to teens. zachstoychest.org
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Community Music School will take music stands, string instruments, guitars, electronic piano keyboards with built in speakers, brass and woodwind instruments. cmsraleigh.org
Philharmonic Association will also accept any orchestral instrument. philharmonic-association.org
FOOD
Donate unwanted food items to Helping Hand Mission, at any of their locations or at collection boxes in shopping centers within Raleigh, Cary and Garner. helpinghandmission.org
