Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank
In the autumn of 2022, Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank reached out to Atlantic Woodworkers’ Association expressing a desire to discuss potential projects of mutual interest. Parker Street is a part of the Community Care Network Society, a registered charity incorporated in 1990. They work within the community to provide food, furniture and emergency assistance to those in need. Situated on Maynard Street in Halifax, the main operation includes a large workshop intended to support the repair and refurbishment of donated furniture for both client needs (funded units) and for sale in their thrift store (unfunded units) as a fundraising effort.
Following a presentation to AWA by Parker Street’s Executive Director outlining potential volunteer opportunities, members were invited to visit the centre where, sadly, it was noted the workshop had been neglected for some time and as a result was (at least to the opinion of most of the visiting members) completely unusable as a working space. During the Spring and Summer of 2023 AWA worked with Parker Street to begin renovations, supported in part by a large grant from CUA that AWA members helped the organization apply for and manage the project.
The grant allowed Parker Street to substantially improve their workshop through the acquisition of equipment, materials, and fixtures that completely changed the utility of the space. Both hand and power tools were acquired and installed in the shop including a new SawStop saw – the single biggest investment from the grant. Members helped to cut away old structural supports that were limiting mobility in the shop, catalogued and reorganized supplies and equipment and did a full assessment (and wish list) of equipment available for furniture repair and refurbishing. A new hand tool bench was built by AWA members, and new tools were added while existing tools were repaired, upgraded and made functional again. By the summer of 2023, the workshop was beginning to look like a functioning shop and work began to achieve the objective of addressing the backlog of donated furniture needing repair.
The shop continued to develop in functionality and capacity in 2024 and 2025 as equipment and structural requirements continued to grow in the space. The Saw Stop saw was built into a mobile power bench also housing a donated router table and a utility bench to handle a new dual bevel mitre saw was built in another area renovated by AWA. Spatial renovations and site improvement are continuing and the workshop has proven its value with dozens of furniture projects having been completed and sent out to clients and the Thrift shop over the past two years.
The work of AWA members in repairing, repurposing and refurbishing furniture continues apace with lots of donations showing up every week. In fact the volume is so significant that AWA members have found it necessary to build in extra structure in the downstairs warehouse area that feeds the workshop. In addition to the ongoing furniture repair efforts, AWA members have participated in many other aspects of Parker Street’s activity including participating in their Christmas-in-July (ornament-making) event, and organizing and presenting a kids birdhouse-building day for children of Parker Street staff. We are delighted to support Parker Street and look forward to continuing our relationship with this amazing organization.
