Chicago Furniture Bank Provides Free Furnishing To Residents In Poverty

Chicagoans who face poverty can handpick an entire home's worth of furnishings for free.

Tima Miroshnichenko/ Pexels

Sitting on a couch or eating at a table in your home might seem regular, but for many people living in extreme financial hardships, it's a luxury.

The Chicago Furniture Bank provides furnishing to residents in need, including beds, couches, armchairs, dressers, desks, end tables, coffee tables, kitchen tables + chairs, dishware, rugs, lamps, artwork, mirrors, and more.

They're a nonprofit organization founded in 2018 that serves as an intermediary between Chicagoans who have extra furniture and those who need it. The CFB also provides jobs to at-risk youth, reduces environmental waste, and provides a convenient removal service to people who donate furniture.

How to receive free furniture

Only clients referred by one of their nonprofit partners can receive the furniture. To be referred, individuals must contact one of the 400-plus nonprofit partners. Each organization has its own eligibility requirements to become a client in its programs.

If you are referred, your caseworker will contact you regarding your appointment, the procedures to follow, and what information you may need to share or bring to the meeting.

Use this resource page to find the right agency fit for you.

How to donate furniture

1. Go to CFB's Donate Furniture page here!

2. Read their donation criteria to determine if your items would be eligible for a donation.

3. You can drop items off at their warehouse, but if you need to, you can request a pickup by filling out the "Furniture Pickup Request Form" here.

4. Wait for a processing email, then send back photos of the items.

5. If the items work for their clients, they will try to schedule an appointment for a pickup.

How to donate financially

Check out their "Donate" page. All donations are tax-deductible.

The CFB is expected to furnish 4,000 homes for 10,000 clients this year.