Strait Talk Episode 25

Re-Nest Furniture Society Co-Chairs Discuss the Group’s Mission and Future

Co-Chairs of Re-Nest Furniture Society, Chloe Fox Chetwynd and Lesa McHugh, recently sat down with Civic Journalist Jake Boudrot to share insights into their organization’s origins and purpose.

“Re-Nest started as a brainchild that became a reality in February of 2023,” McHugh recalled. “Before that, Chloe and I crossed paths frequently—she was a housing support worker, and I was helping individuals leave challenging situations. We quickly realized that, beyond housing, people needed furniture too, so we turned to social media to request donations.”

In August 2022, McHugh and Fox Chetwynd joined forces more formally. “We had some success sourcing items through our own personal Facebook networks, but one day, we were offered an entire house of beautiful furniture for clients. The problem was, we had nowhere to store it and no way to transport it. That day of coordination was exhausting,” McHugh shared. “We realized we needed a home base, and that’s when we decided to start a society.”

Their non-profit officially launched in February 2023, Fox Chetwynd added.

At the Richmond Municipal Council’s committee-of-the-whole session on May 13 in Arichat, McHugh gave a presentation outlining the group’s ongoing work to support housing and furnishing needs in the community. She called on locals to donate any items they could spare and asked for volunteer support from anyone with access to a truck, which would help the society deliver collected furniture to families in need.

Looking ahead, the co-chairs shared their hope to grow Re-Nest’s network, expanding support to meet the increasing need for basic home furnishings in the area.