The Reuse Network serves as a vital bridge connecting surplus furnishings with the needy. By matching surplus furnishings and equipment from schools, universities, corporations, and other large organizations with the requirements of charities and nonprofits across the globe, IRN has established a comprehensive reuse solution, which has now been put to work more than 2,000 times.
This is a ‘win win’: it aids organizations in managing their surplus assets, as well as of course helping needy schools and communities that receive surplus materials.
Since its inception in 1999, IRN has diverted 100 million pounds – more than 1,600,000 individual items - of usable furniture and equipment from landfills, reflecting a profound impact on environmental conservation. The network has fostered partnerships with over 200 nonprofit recipient organizations and worked with a robust clientele of more than 700 organizations throughout the US that have provided their excess furnishings for reuse. With the completion of over 2,000 reuse projects, IRN has solidified its position as a national leader in promoting sustainable reuse practices.
IRN’s formula and decades of experience have bridged the gap between excess and need, providing a lifeline of resources to impoverished communities and those recovering from natural disasters.
The issue of furniture waste has escalated over the years, with Americans discarding over 12 million tons of furniture annually, a figure that has soared by 450% since 1960 according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The surge in furniture sales during the pandemic, amounting to an increase of over $4 billion from 2019 to 2021, further exacerbates this problem. Despite the recyclability of some furniture components, a significant portion ends up in landfills, as highlighted by the New York Times.
IRN’s establishment was inspired by a visit to Boston College, where the founders were struck by the sight of high-quality dorm furniture being discarded. Their realization of the enormous nation- and worldwide potential for reusing surplus items led to the establishment of IRN. The Reuse Network has since been dedicated to redirecting these valuable resources to communities in need, both locally and globally.
IRN's contributions have transcended borders, furnishing schools and communities in some 70 countries in the Caribbean Basin, Central and South America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia, and in 47 U.S. states.
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Contact: Mark Lennon
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