The Furniture Bank Concept
Furniture banks serve as critical community infrastructure, collecting donated household goods from community members and redistributing them to individuals and families experiencing housing transitions. These organizations operate on a circular economy model where community surplus meets community need, creating pathways to housing stability for vulnerable populations while caring for the environment by reducing furniture waste in landfills.
Unlike retail resale operations such as Habitat for Humanity ReStores, furniture banks provide complete household furnishing packages at no cost to qualifying recipients. Services typically include: collection of donated furniture, linens, small appliances, and household goods; repair and restoration to ensure quality and functionality; storage and inventory management; coordination with social service agencies for client referrals; and delivery and setup in clients’ new homes.
SHARE’s Core Values
Dignity
We treat donated items as valuable assets, not discards. We serve clients with respect, not pity. Every exchange upholds human worth.
Recovery
We meet families at their point of crisis—fire, homelessness, disaster—and provide the household articles foundational recovery requires.
Exchange
We facilitate community reciprocity. Your surplus becomes their foundation. Their stability strengthens our entire shoreline.
Quality
Through careful curation, we ensure every household asset we provide is functional, clean, and pleasant.
Accessibility
We serve the eastern shoreline communities underserved by existing furniture banks, bringing assets directly to families in need.
Geographic Service Area
SHARE serves eight municipalities along Connecticut’s eastern shoreline:
- Westbrook
- Clinton
- Madison
- Guilford
- Branford
- North Branford
- East Haven
- New Haven
The Organization
Our mission is to serve individuals and families emerging from homelessness, domestic violence, and crisis displacement — rebuilding their stability and dignity by transforming their relocation dwelling from mattress on the floor to home.
SHARE began in 2026. We are incorporated in CT as a not-for-profit.
Internal Revenue Service Identification Number: 41-4121120. NAICS Classification: 624230 – Emergency and Other Relief Services.
SHARE – Shoreline Homemaking Articles Recovery Exchange Inc.
119 Montowese Street
Branford, CT 06405
Phone: 203.592.5015
Email: info@sharect.org [until 3/15/2026 please use 5929246@gmail.com]