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NYC Resident Turns Trash to Treasure for Neighbors
26 Oct
Summary
- A New Yorker salvages furniture for her Bronx community.
- She runs a nonprofit, Repurposed Life, aiding struggling residents.
- Regina Carter received the $200,000 David Prize for her work.
In New York City, Regina Carter dedicates her free time to an extraordinary cause. She operates a nonprofit called Repurposed Life, focusing on rescuing furniture from convention centers and hotels destined for disposal. This initiative has successfully redistributed over 46 tons of furniture within the Bronx this year alone.
Her work directly assists struggling residents, including seniors, by providing essential items like new mattresses or even motorized wheelchairs. Carter, who herself aged out of the foster care system, now lives in the Morris Houses in the Bronx, where she also serves as the tenant association president. She recently received the David Prize, a $200,000 award, to further support her volunteer stipends and operational costs for truck rentals.
Despite working a full-time job as a clerical associate and managing her nonprofit, Carter prioritizes her community. She allocates about $1,000 monthly for groceries and keeps other household expenses, like phone and internet bills, low. She utilizes subsidized programs for internet services, ensuring her focus remains on her mission to improve the living conditions of her neighbors through resourceful means.
