Amy Javaid: Unpacking Furniture Poverty – Why a Roof Overhead is Just the Start

Mar 28

Amy Javaid: Unpacking Furniture Poverty – Why a Roof Overhead is Just the Start

Amy Javaid came face to face with the reality that she had it good, and many did not, early in life. Like many guests on The PlayFull Podcast, Amy turned her a-ha into a to-do, and got busy helping others. Decades later, as CEO of A Wider Circle, she’s still at it, making the world better through play, compassion, and dignity.

As a great wrap to our CEO series, listen in and learn how Amy leads a national movement to reduce furniture poverty, a glaring issue that gets little attention. And you’ll hear how she uses play – like hiding rubber ducks throughout the agency’s 35,000-square-foot warehouse – to delight clients and staff and make a game out of filling empty homes with “donations with dignity.”

Listen in as Kristine and Amy discuss:

How A Wider Circle is a leading force in the movement to end furniture poverty
What it means to donate items in “dignity condition”
What being a management consultant has in common with making sure people have beds to sleep on and a comfortable place to eat a meal after a long day at work
How the hotel industry’s Covid-rebound has created a huge pipeline of furniture donations

Key Takeaways:

70% of people who call A Wider Circle for help are sleeping on the floor
A Wider Circle does not means-test or require clients sign up for case management; all you need to do to “qualify” is ask for help
The U.S. lags behind Europe and Canada in measuring the scope and impact of furniture poverty, but the negative impacts of being furniture-deficient are many, including mental and physical health issues, poor self-esteem, loneliness, etc.
Be creative! Find ways, like (rubber) duck hunting, that bring fun and joy to your team members and clients

"Everyone can do something, and together we can do a lot of somethings. How great is that!?!" — Amy Javaid

Connect with Amy Javaid:

Website: https://awidercircle.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-javaid-250068138/

About Amy Javaid: Amy Javaid currently serves as the President and CEO of A Wider Circle, a social service nonprofit based in Silver Spring, MD. With a staff of more than 60 and thousands of volunteers each year, A Wider Circle seeks to support those experiencing poverty through an array of services and programs.

Amy joined A Wider Circle in 2017 and took on several roles during her tenure including in workforce development, neighborhood partnerships, and development. In early 2021, Amy became Interim President and CEO and in July 2021 became President and CEO.

Amy has spent her career in the management, project design, development, implementation, and monitoring of programs for an array of marginalized and vulnerable populations. Specifically, she has led programs in the health, education, and workforce development fields. She has also supported nonprofits in realms including program design, monitoring, and impact as well as on governance, fundraising, strategic planning, and operations.

During her tenure at A Wider Circle, Amy has filled an array of roles. She began with Workforce Development before branching out to launch the Partnership to Independence (P2I) five-year wraparound program and the Neighborhood Partnerships program. She also oversaw the development and build-out of A Wider Circle’s Ward 8 Hub located in Washington Highlands.

Previously, Amy worked for Deloitte, the Academy for Educational Development, several smaller nonprofits, and with a variety of clients. She has managed portfolios with total contract values in excess of $40 million, led teams of up to 100 staff members, and implemented client-level interventions in rural, urban, domestic, and international settings.

Amy is originally from Boston and currently resides in Washington D.C. with her family.