Our Chapter is fortunate to be based in New York City, one of the strongest design markets in the country. This affords great project and work opportunities for our Members and supports an environment with a huge number of firms and professionals producing high quality design. We also have a strong Industry Member involvement, and a large number of participating design schools. As a result, the opportunities for our organization to do great things are nearly endless.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Each year, we provide relevant programs that appeal to the specific areas of practice represented by our Membership and find ways to bring the group together to find a focus that historically never existed. Through the high quality of our Forum events (all of which provide CEUs) and our more general programs, IIDA NY has become a focus of energy for the community.

AFFORDABLE REGISTRATION FEES AND CHARITABLE DONATIONS
Thanks to a successful Partnership Opportunities campaign and profit from our annual fundraising programs, Forum events are subsidized by Annual Partners, allowing us to keep attendee registration fees affordable to students, educators, and designers. More importantly, we are in a position to provide money for areas of particular importance and interest to the design community such as our Annual Student Scholarship (awarding $15,000 in Scholarships), our philanthropic efforts, and supporting legislative efforts with IDLNY.

PHILANTHROPY
For several years, IIDA NY has had an ongoing relationship with a not-for-profit organization called The Partnership for the Homeless, specifically their Furnish a Future program. This is the only program in NYC that provides formerly homeless families leaving city shelters, with furniture and household goods for free.

Our most recent endeavor is Project Warehouse, in which our aim is to redesign, reorganize and redecorate Furnish a Future’s existing warehouse in Brooklyn, NY. In conjunction with the Project Warehouse effort we have initiated Operation Reach-Out. Currently the charity receives most of their donations from the hotel network and other key sponsors but on a daily basis never has enough inventory to meet demand. Our aim is to reach out to our A&D vendors, clients, and contacts to see where we can make connections and provide donations to the Furnish a Future program. This task is ongoing and we welcome all help and opportunities.

IIDA NY also participates in an inspiring event organized through Publicolor, called the Saturday Paint Club. IIDA NY members volunteer their time and effort for the day, to work alongside junior high school and high school students at local school NYC Schools. The mission of Publicolor is to engage underserved students in their education and to catalyze change by empowering them and other residents of inner city communities to transform their environment through the power of color and collaboration.

SUSTAINABLE QUILTING BEE
The Sustainable Design Forum hosted its First Annual Sustainable Quilting Bee in February 2008 to create quilts from discarded and discontinued fabric samples. In the tradition of quilting guilds the aim of this group is twofold: to find new homes for what would have been discarded and to offer an opportunity for community outside of our stressed and scheduled lives. The group of 20 participants met monthly to discuss, critique and assist each other with projects. The IIDA NY Chapter is pleased to have been able to auction 21 quilts since 2008. Proceeds from the Annual Quilt Auctions are donated to local charities.

If you are interested in getting involved in IIDA NY philanthropic efforts, please fill out our VOLUNTEER FORM.