Repurposed for Life

People of Public Housing: Regina Carter

Days before leaving New York City to transport the Living in the Shade: Open Space and Public Housing exhibition to the National Public Housing Museum, Regina Carter, head of the non-profit Repurposed for Life, was finishing up another major job—clearing out 700 dorm rooms at Hunter College. All those beds, desks, and chairs were being loaded onto a truck by Carter and another volunteer

The long distance exhibition move is a first for the organization but for Carter, it aligns with the mission of making needed goods available to public housing residents. “Typically we pick up furniture and deliver it within NYCHA developments,” she said. Carter operates pop up shops where everything is free and said she likes to call it shopping because it makes everyone feel better. “It humanizes it a bit. A lot of people don’t want to be in the position where they need these things. When they are shopping, they can let go of that stigma,” she said.

A New York native born in 1987, Carter grew up in foster care and has lived in and out of public housing. Currently, she resides at the Morris Houses in the Bronx. For Carter, learning how to become a resource specialist and how to make connections with business and government leaders has been a self-education process. From very young, she knew she wanted to help. “I wanted to be a teacher when I was little. Then I considered social work. I sorta do that now without the degree.”

Carter volunteered with the tenant association and worked in the NYCHA’s development office where she was introduced to the non-profit world and learned about writing grants. Eventually she had a light-bulb moment, asking herself: “Why not strike out on my own?” 

With so many office buildings in the big city, Carter knew she could get free furniture. “They have to change out every so often because it doesn’t match the Feng Shui or they are downsizing and it ends up in the garbage,” she said of the businesses. It hasn’t been hard to line up donations because companies like the optics. “It looks good for them and people are helped … and it reduces our carbon footprint so,  tick, tick, tick.”

Repurposed for Life started five years ago and was incorporated last year. They started small. “We just signed up for every free thing that nonprofits qualify for,” Carter said. Soon they were giving out meals from World Central Kitchen, giving residents foot love courtesy of the one purchased=one donated program Bombas sock company. During the pandemic, the organization helped the city distribute hand sanitizer to the large NYCHA community. Now, the organization can add museum moving services to the list.

The volunteer-led non-profit is expanding its mission from furniture giveaways to helping the community learn how to leverage their resources. “Sometimes we get a grant and I can give a stipend, but people come out—they will work for trinkets,” she said with a laugh. 

The exhibition move is a major step for the organization and already Carter is planning. “We need to get more trucks.”

Illustration and logo by Regina Carter’s daughter, Isabella Suero.