During the summer of 2018, Thomasboro Academy, the only Title 1 school in CMS where 100% of the students live below the poverty level, heard about available leather chairs through a social media referral about Access to Excess. A volunteer came to the Restore Global warehouse with a pickup truck to pick up several black leather chairs. A couple days later, the volunteer called and asked if there were any more available. The volunteer returned with the Vice Principal and some students who were excited to see their school receiving nice furniture.
The volunteer was excited about the Restore Global programs and wanted to learn more about the benefits of partnership, so we went to Thomasboro Academy to share our programs. We were immediately bombarded with staff and faculty articulating their gratitude for the chairs.
As it turns out, leather is important because often students come to school with lice and bed bugs. The insects burrow in the chairs and can infect the whole school. Leather chairs gave them the opportunity to stop the bugs from spreading to other students, teachers, and staff.Â
Recognizing the benefits to the community, the volunteer was so excited to invite three other nonprofits to the meeting – SAVE, Matthews Playhouse, and Northside Baptist Church. Each representative was surprised and excited about the programs offered by Restore Global and how we can help them grow.  Each identified three or four other community nonprofits that could benefit from our services!
Not only did these black leather chairs have a great impact on a 100% under poverty level school, but they created a path for our network to grow and impact the community.