Universal Furniture will host nonprofit Half United’s pop-up shop at its showroom during High Point Market in October. Half United, based in Wilmington, North Carolina, fights hunger and poverty through the sale of home goods and apparel made by artisans in Haiti, Peru, Mexico and other countries.
“Universal Furniture is honored to host Half United during market this fall,” said Neil MacKenzie, vice president of marketing for the High Point, North Carolina-based furniture producer. “Their mission of using employment to change lives is inspirational and admirable.”
Half United’s pop-up shop will operate Friday, Oct. 21 through Tuesday, Oct. 25 to sell its “socially good goods.” At 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, Half United co-founder Carmin Black will be the featured speaker in Universal’s Learning Center, discussing how gainful employment is the No. 1 way to fight global hunger.
Half United works in Djibouti, Haiti, India, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the United States and Vietnam. Through the organization’s support of global gainful employment, the nonprofit has seen health care improve, land purchases increase and illiteracy decrease in the various communities it serves.
“In our earliest days, Half United donated seven meals per product sold. After giving away nearly 2 million meals, we were frustrated to learn that providing food for those in need does not equal ending hunger,” Black said. “We sought a new path toward ending hunger and poverty — holistically and sustainably — and realized that gainful employment has the power to end hunger.”
