Tis the season for charity partnerships, and this time Editor at Large has tracked five companies that promulgate good design and good will. Read on for heart-warming highlights from the International Interior Design Association, Roche Bobois, the Decoration and Design Building, Surya and the Ohio Design Centre.
D4D designed space
IIDA + D4D
The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) has announced a new national partnership with Designs for Dignity (D4D), an organization that provides pro-bono design services to nonprofits that work with marginalized or at-risk communities. This partnership will expand D4D’s national programs throughout the United States and give IIDA Members opportunities to engage in design revitalization projects in their communities.
“Together, IIDA and D4D will promote socially responsible design,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, adding that the partnership also has the potential to shine a light on “the power of pro bono design for the nonprofit community.”
D4D is currently looking for designers and volunteers in the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Pittsburgh areas.
Roche Bobois + Miami’s Lotus House
In November, Roche Bobois Paris was recognized by Miami’s Lotus House Shelter for its efforts to assist homeless and abused women and children. The company donated new home furnishings for the shelter, which includes apartments, recreation areas, dining facilities, conference spaces and counseling rooms.
In addition, Roche Bobois donated all proceeds from its 40th anniversary gala, which attracted more than 350 guests, to the charity.
Holiday Open House at the D&D Building
D&D Building + Toys for Tots
More than 200 people participated in the D&D Building's Toys for Tots Holiday Open House. Here more than $12,000 in prizes were donated by D&D Building showrooms and 350 toys were collected for donation to give to children this holiday season.
“As we learned from the Marines who volunteered at our event, toy donations this year are not as high as they have been in years past,” said D&D Building Marketing Director Jodi Imburgia. “The hundreds of toys we collected are truly appreciated.”
Surya + Akshaya Patra
Rug and home décor brand Surya raised $69,603 for Akshaya Patra, a program that provides daily hot lunches to thousands of schoolchildren in villages in northern India, where Surya’s artisan community resides. In addition to the money raised by the Miles for Meals campaign, 250 children will receive meals for a year thanks to members of Surya Rewards, Surya’s customer loyalty program, who donated their Surya Points in October to Akshaya Patra.
In addition, Surya employees collected more than 3,900 non-perishable food items during the company’s fourth-annual food drive, which took place prior to Thanksgiving. The donations were delivered to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, which distributes healthy food to residents of 20 counties in Northwest Georgia and Tennessee.
Dining by Design tablescapes
Ohio Design Centre + North Union Farmer’s Market
Entertaining by Design, the Ohio Design Centre’s annual tablescape showcase to support the North Union Farmer’s Market, raised more than $10,000 for the organization. Money made by selling tickets to view the 32 dining and entertaining tablescapes created by 30 of Cleveland’s leading interior designers, was funneled into the market’s nutrition education and access programs in Northeast Ohio.
