Northern California Chapter’s Nureed Saeed Finds a New Home for Her Philanthropic Efforts
When Nureed Saeed was nearing the end of her four-year tenure as president of the Northern California Chapter, she was asked to join the board of Make It Home–a charity helping people emerging from housing insecurity.
It was an easy decision. Nureed, who was KBB Person of the Year in 2023, has made it a point to volunteer in her community–wherever she has called home over the years.
“It’s about dignity. Everyone deserves dignity. If you really care about your clients regardless of where they sit socioeconomically, you’re trying to provide a beautiful, well-functioning space they can make a home in. To me that applies to everyone.”
Solving Two Critical Problems At Once
Interior designer Carolyn Flannery started Make It Home when she was volunteering with foster kids in the Bay Area and discovered that while children aging out of foster care might get assistance with securing a home, they don’t receive any furniture to fill it with. That’s when Carolyn realized she and her fellow designers were uniquely positioned to help.
Kitchen and bath professionals know the drill: you might have excess furniture on your hands that’s accidentally damaged, but salvageable. Or you might receive duplicates you’re told to keep or get rid of.
“When you consider the amount of waste the home industry produces, it’s truly saddening,” says Nureed. “We’re one of the largest producers of waste in the country. I can’t tell you how many times I get two toilets! As designers, we can be a bridge. We can provide a service to people who really need it so they can have a sustainable life for themselves and their families.”
Statistics show that people who have a furnished home to come into are much more likely to stay out of homelessness than those who don’t have a bed to sleep on. Make It Home services hundreds of households every month, including kids aging out of foster care, refugee families, and those coming out of homelessness. Volunteers take overstock from donation outlets and partner with mattress companies to create “starter packages” to make a house a home.
For Nureed, volunteering is a family affair–her pre-teens help organize goods at Make It Home’s headquarters.
“My kids are a big reason why I keep doing what I do. I want to teach them that we are not just here to take. And the best way is to be an example. I want to make sure I’m giving as much as I have. And I have a lot.”
