Bronx woman repurposes office furniture for NYCHA residents, needs movers and donations

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) -- We’ve heard of food banks, but have you heard of furniture banks?

A Bronx mother of three is helping hundreds of NYCHA residents get free furniture with her monthly pop-ups. But she needs volunteers and furniture to keep the giving going.

Regina Carter, 36, lives at the Morris Houses in the Bronx. Carter is changing homes one resident at a time, making free furniture available for her neighbors. She’s known as "the Furniture Queen."

A filing cabinet was converted into a clothing bureau. For Lisa Rose, it was a small gesture that's made a big impact in her life. Clearing out the clutter and organizing her clothes makes Rose feel better about her living space. Carter said that’s the goal.

If you need furniture, you can fill out a request here.

Rose's cabinet came from a Manhattan office that was remodeling and would have been thrown out. Carter said she saved it from going to the landfill. She's been doing this work for years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Carter saw how families in her neighborhood struggled to feed their families. Many of her neighbors also needed furniture but couldn’t afford it.

Carter has a nonprofit called Repurposed Life. She has transformed dozens of NYCHA apartments, even the tenant association’s office. Carter usually gets used office furniture that’s being thrown out and rescues it. She then hits the streets to find families in need. From beds to televisions to lamps, every piece of furniture leads to a little peace of mind.

The Public Housing Community Fund and Con Edison recently honored Carter and gave her a $4,500 grant to continue her good work.

Carter said right now she needs furniture donations for her next pop-up in two weeks as well as volunteers to help move old furniture into new homes. These home makeovers create lasting community connections.

If you can create a connection, contact Monica Morales at monica@pix11.com