Sharing Connections

What Sharing Connections does

Sharing Connections is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit furniture bank founded in 1986 and headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois. The organization collects donated furniture and household goods from individuals and corporate donors, warehouses them, and redistributes them to families transitioning out of hardship such as homelessness, domestic violence, or poverty. Distribution is primarily routed through a referral network of partner social-service agencies across 13 Illinois counties, with a newer Direct Family Assistance Program enabling direct household engagement outside the traditional referral channel.

The organization's business model is that of a donation-funded nonprofit: cash revenue is generated through individual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and fundraisers, while the majority of goods distributed represent in-kind donations valued at approximately $6.1M annually. Operations are logistics-intensive, centered on warehouse intake, condition assessment, and scheduled distribution to verified recipients. A small staff of 1-10 employees coordinates a broader volunteer workforce and partner-agency ecosystem to execute the model.

Sharing Connections' recent strategic posture reflects geographic and operational scaling. The territory has expanded from its original DuPage County base to 13 counties, warehouse capacity has been increased to handle growing throughput, and the leadership transitioned from long-serving CEO Varju to Churma. These moves signal an organization moving from a localized single-county operation to a regional platform, though it remains a small nonprofit without disclosed technology infrastructure or AI capabilities.

Name

Sharing Connections

Legal name

Sharing Connections, Inc.

Website

https://sharingconnections.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sharing Connections is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit furniture bank founded in 1986 in Downers Grove, Illinois. It collects donated furniture and household goods and distributes them to families in need across 13 Illinois counties through a partner-agency referral network and a direct assistance program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Downers Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donated Furniture and Household Items: The organization receives donations of gently used furniture, household items, clothing, and baby items from community members and businesses. These donations are then redistributed to families in need at minimal or no cost.
2. Financial Donations: Individual donors contribute financial support through online donations, mail, and planned giving programs. The 'Providing Hope' monthly giving program allows recurring donations. Vehicle donations are also accepted through partner Careasy.org.
3. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for annual events including golf outings, Hops for Hope craft beer events, and other fundraising activities provide revenue and community visibility.
4. Access Fees: Partner agents pay minimal access fees for referrals, with fee discounts of 20%-60% available depending on individual needs. Exact amounts are provided via the approved referral system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sharing Connections operates as a furniture bank that collects donated furniture and household items from the community and redistributes them to families in crisis through a network of over 1,000 partner social service agencies. The organization provides essential items including beds, cribs, sofas, tables, chairs, dressers, and clothing, with services delivered via a 14,100 sq. ft. warehouse in Downers Grove, Illinois serving 13+ counties in Northern Illinois.

Product overview

Sharing Connections operates as a furniture bank non-profit offering a portfolio of referral-based services through a network of over 1,000 partner social workers and case managers. The core service includes furniture donation pickup and redistribution through service tiers: Crib Only (expedited), Beds Only (expedited), Basic Furniture Only, All Inclusive, and Clothing Only. In 2019, they launched a Direct Family Assistance Program enabling emergency direct applications without professional referral. Additional programs include an Annual Toy Program distributing over 2,000 toys to children, volunteer-powered operations with 300+ annual volunteers, monthly giving through the 'Providing Hope' program, and vehicle donation partnerships. Services are delivered from their 14,100 sq. ft. warehouse in Downers Grove, Illinois, serving families across 13+ counties in Northern Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crib Only Referral Service Expedited referral service providing new cribs and crib mattresses to families with infants. Includes optional items like car seats, high chairs, diapers, and clothing when available.
• Beds Only Referral Service Expedited referral service for beds including mattress/box set combinations. Provides bedding, pillows, and other sleep-related items when available.
• Basic Furniture Referral Service Referral service providing essential furniture items such as sofas, living room chairs, dressers, tables, end tables, household items, decorative items, and clothing. Does not include cribs or mattress/box sets.
• All Inclusive Referral Service Comprehensive referral service combining all furniture items with new mattress/box sets. A once-in-a-lifetime service that includes everything needed in one trip.
• Clothing Only Referral Service Referral service providing clothing to individuals and families. Available up to four times per year with no access fee. Seasonal clothing changes offered.
• Direct Family Assistance Program In-house option for families to apply directly without a professional referral, available for emergency or time-sensitive situations requiring immediate help.
• Furniture Donation Pickup Service Volunteer-powered pickup service (operated through 'Big Yellow' truck) that collects gently used furniture from donors in the community, including sofas, loveseats, sectionals, recliners, tables, chairs, dressers, and small household items.
• Annual Toy Program Annual holiday program that transforms the warehouse into 'Sharing Toy Land' and provides new toys, books, stuffed animals, hats, gloves, and gift cards to over 2,000 local children in need.
• Monthly Giving Program (Providing Hope) Recurring donation program called 'Providing Hope' that allows donors to contribute monthly to ensure sustained long-term support for families.
• Vehicle Donation Program Partnership with Careasy.org allowing donors to donate vehicles (running or not), with proceeds funding Sharing Connections programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,180 households impacted in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARCO/MurraycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor for Annual Golf Outing events (21st, 22nd, 23rd). Major corporate sponsor providing significant financial support for fundraising events.
• NEUCO, Inc.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Annual Golf Outing events. Corporate sponsor for fundraising activities.
• Skeleton Key BrewerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner hosting multiple fundraising events including Hops for Hope, Battle of the Bottle Shops, and Sleepover FOR HOPE. Created collaboration beer 'Shared Hope' with 100% of profits donated.
• Cornerstone National Bank & Trust CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Hops for Hope 2025 event and hole sponsor for golf outings.
• Careasy.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVehicle donation partner allowing donors to contribute vehicles with proceeds funding Sharing Connections programs.
• Partner Social Service AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 340 hospitals, municipalities, and social service agencies including domestic violence shelters, housing organizations, food pantries, schools, veteran organizations, and teen parent organizations. These partners refer clients to receive furniture and household items.
• Various Event SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors including The R-B Financial Group, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Bornquist Inc., Northern Trust, Hinsdale Bank and Trust, Woody Buick GMC, Old National Bank, Meyers & Flowers, Schulte and Cleland Wealth Management, Lerman Business Services, Vanee Foods, GreenState Credit Union, and others for golf outings and events.
• Tivoli TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for It's A Wonderful Life film screenings where 50% of ticket proceeds are donated to Sharing Connections.
• AmazonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon Wish List enables online shopping with items shipped directly to Sharing Connections for toy program and general donations.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Baby2Baby: National nonprofit distributing essential items including clothing, beds, and baby gear to children living in poverty. Comparable donation-supply model, social worker referral channel, and focus on furnishing children in need.
• Cradles to Crayons: Nonprofit providing clothing, beds, and essential items to children living in low-income and homeless situations through a partner referral network. Highly comparable mission, referral-based distribution model, and child-focused impact metrics.
• Furniture Bank (Toronto): Canadian nonprofit furniture bank that collects donated furniture and household items and provides them to families and individuals transitioning out of homelessness and crisis — same core furniture bank model with partner referral intake.
• Purple Heart Pickup: Donation pickup service that collects gently used furniture and household items from donors and redistributes to families in need, often supporting veterans. Direct functional overlap with Sharing Connections' volunteer-powered 'Big Yellow' truck pickup operation.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Large nonprofit operating donation-based retail and workforce programs that collect donated household goods and resell or redirect them to people in need. Comparable donation-recycling model and mission overlap with Sharing Connections' furniture bank.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home-furnishings retail channel operating across the U.S. that resells donated furniture and household items to fund affordable housing. Closest peer in terms of donated furniture redistribution and nonprofit fundraising model.
• The Salvation Army: National nonprofit providing furniture, household items, and social services to families in crisis via donated goods and thrift operations. Directly comparable donation-based assistance model and family-support mission.

Emerging players

• Dress for Success: Global nonprofit that collects donated professional clothing and provides it to individuals transitioning into the workforce, often via partner agency referrals. Comparable donation-driven model with referral-based distribution to people in transition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SharingConnections
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharing-connections

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sharing Connections