About theExchange

Through the effective reuse of donated items, theExchange collaborates with local organizations to provide home essentials for community members in need.

theExchange provides donated furniture and essential household goods to La Crosse area households experiencing recent hardships including homelessness, domestic violence, and aging and disability challenges. In 2016, four women—Sheila Riley, Mary Mueller, Joan Waniger, and Cindy Sahlstrom—started collecting donations of furniture and household goods from the community. They later formally organized as theExchange La Crosse Area Furniture Bank, with the program joining the Shelter Development, Inc. organization.

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Since that time, theExchange has served over 3,600+ local households and reduced landfill waste by thousands of pounds each year. We are a program under Shelter Development, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, primarily serving the La Crosse Coulee Region.

Collaboration • Dignity • Quality • Sustainability • Teamwork • Volunteerism

Our team of volunteers carefully inspects donations as they enter our warehouse to ensure they meet our quality standards. We partner with nearly 30 nonprofit and social services agencies who serve as advocates, identifying those in need of the services of theExchange.

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Appointments are made for recipients and their advocates to visit theExchange and select the essential household items they need—free of charge—to furnish their homes. If needed, we also deliver furniture directly to recipients. From the moment a client arrives to the moment their home is furnished, we strive to ensure their experience is respectful and dignified

Since the early work of the program founders, theExchange has grown the regular volunteer base to more than 65 people. A Program Director and Operations Manager were hired to lead day-to-day operations, and the co-founders remain deeply involved. Today, 12 individuals serve on our board of directors. theExchange is further supported by an Advisory Committee, composed of volunteers providing operational, fundraising, and community relations support to theExchange.