Columbia University Facilities and Operations Donates Used Furniture for Vulnerable Populations in Need in New York City

When plans for renovations over the summer began for Broadway Hall, an undergraduate residence, departments across Facilities and Operations including Columbia undergraduate Housing, Sustainability, and Construction Business Initiatives teamed up to find a new home for the used residence hall furniture to be replaced.  
 
134 pieces of furniture including couches, chairs, and tables were donated by Columbia Housing and delivered to NYC Health + Hospitals, to be used at their shelter locations and medical centers throughout the city where they support vulnerable populations in need including domestic abuse victims and asylum seekers from all over the world. 

“New York City’s response to the asylum seeker crisis has been made possible by the whole city coming together to help, with generous offers of time, energy, and resources from community groups, houses of worship, business leaders and New Yorkers from across the city,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, senior vice president, Ambulatory Care and Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals. “I want to thank Columbia University for the donation of hundreds of pieces of furniture, which will help provide a dignified welcome for recent asylum seekers, bringing space for a much-needed respite after their long and arduous journey.” 

This donation is a part of the University’s efforts to greatly reduce the number of items directed to landfills and find homes for gently used items. Through Columbia’s ReUse Program, Facilities, and Operations has facilitated the exchange or donation of items like used lockers for a boy’s boarding school, and bikes and yoga mats for a community center. Columbia Housing has a long history of providing support to these efforts. In the fall, furniture donations from Housing supported Ukraine relief efforts.  

“Being a good neighbor in our community is a top priority for Facilities and Operations. Through Columbia’s ReUse Program, we continuously work to find opportunities to re-home items that are no longer needed by the University for the benefit of non-profit organizations and vulnerable populations,” says Jessica Prata, Assistant Vice President, Office of Sustainability.