St. Louis Green Business Challenge 2025 Rookie of the Year, Home Sweet Home, serves the St. Louis region by providing essential furniture and household items to individuals and families as they establish new homes. With a mission centered on reuse and education, the organization ensures that everyone who touches a donated item understands how it can be reused, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and community well‑being.
In 2024, Home Sweet Home kept 537 tons of furniture out of landfills and distributed $1.2 million worth of home essentials to new homes across the region. By extending the life of furniture and household goods, the organization reduces landfill waste while cutting emissions associated with manufacturing and transporting new items, contributing to cleaner air throughout the St. Louis area.
“We give new life to gently used items, extending the life cycle of furniture and household goods by placing them in homes where they’re needed most,” said Betsy Reznicek, executive director of Home Sweet Home. “Donors can trust that their pre-loved pieces will be cherished by another family, not sent to a landfill. Our challenge was to expand the usefulness of items that cannot be used by clients, whether too “used” or damaged. The Green Team has come up with innovative ways to reduce even the minimal waste of our warehouse.”
As part of its sustainability initiatives, Home Sweet Home reviewed donation processing to identify items that could be forwarded, reused or repurposed. Materials such as metal, electronics, towels, linens and fabric were redirected to recycling centers, animal shelters and local resale shops, while woodworker volunteers repair or reconfigure broken furniture, keeping materials in circulation and reducing waste that could contribute to air pollution.
One notable Green Business Challenge accomplishment was the Home Sweet Home Green Team hosting a Challenge tour of the organization’s warehouse. The tour highlighted the many ways donated items are reused, repaired or responsibly redirected, offering a behind‑the‑scenes look at how thoughtful operations can support sustainability and air quality goals.
The organization also fostered a strong culture of sustainability internally. Staff expanded recycling efforts for items commonly used by clients, such as snack wrappers and water containers, added single‑stream recycling bins throughout the warehouse and reduced single‑use items at organizational events. Additional recycling options were introduced for donated household items, including light bulbs, plastic bags and shredded office paper, further minimizing landfill contributions.
Education and communication played a key role in these efforts. Home Sweet Home implemented an organization‑wide communication plan to ensure staff and volunteers understood how each donated item could be kept out of the landfill. The team also toured a local recycling facility and hosted a Lunch and Learn to share best practices for recycling at home and in the warehouse, reinforcing habits that support cleaner air and healthier communities.
For more information about Home Sweet Home and how your organization can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to the Challenge’s bi-monthly e-newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, explore the Clean Air Partnership’s website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X @gatewaycleanair.
