James, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who dedicated years to serving our country. When he returned home, the transition to civilian life was harder than he ever expected. After his marriage ended, James found himself in an empty apartment — no beds for his kids, no table for family meals, and no place that felt like home.

“It felt like I had lost everything all at once — my family, my home, and my sense of stability. It was the lowest point of my life,” James shared.

That’s when Open Door Exchange stepped in. With the help of our volunteers and donors, we furnished James’s home with beds for his children, dressers, and a kitchen table where they could share meals and memories again.

“When my kids come over, they finally feel comfortable and excited to be here,” James said. “This isn’t just furniture — it gave me back my confidence as a father and a sense of hope I didn’t think I’d feel again.”

This is what your support makes possible.

Your Giving Tuesday gift helps veterans like James, single parents, survivors of domestic violence, and neighbors across Long Island who are rebuilding their lives after hardship. Every dollar helps provide the essential furniture and household items that turn empty spaces into warm, welcoming homes, not just during the holidays, but all year long.

This season, give the gift of home.
Help us continue furnishing homes, restoring dignity, and protecting our planet, one family at a time.

Donate today and be part of the exchange that changes lives.

**names have been changed for privacy purposes**

If you would like to make a donation to the Open Door Exchange, you can do so here. You can also make a donation by check.

Please make checks payable to Setauket Presbyterian Church with "Open Door Exchange" in the memo line. It can be mailed to Setauket Presbyterian Church ℅ ODE, 5 Caroline Avenue, Setauket, NY 11733.

About Open Door Exchange:

Open Door Exchange (ODE) is Long Island’s first and only furniture bank, founded in 2015 with a mission to furnish homes, and futures, for neighbors in need. Based in Port Jefferson Station, ODE collects gently used furniture and redistributes it free of charge to individuals and families transitioning into stable housing. We serve veterans, single parents, survivors of domestic violence, children aging out of foster care, and others facing hardship, with the goal of turning empty apartments into welcoming, functional homes.

How We Began: The idea for ODE was born in the heart of the Setauket Presbyterian Church. In 2015, then-Pastor Kate Jones Calone led the church’s youth group on a service trip to A Wider Circle, a furniture bank in Maryland. Witnessing the direct impact of providing basic household furnishings to those in need, and the environmental benefit of keeping furniture out of landfills, Kate returned home with a vision. Upon researching, she discovered that Long Island lacked a furniture bank, despite high demand. ODE began humbly, collecting donations in a shipping container, gradually growing with the help of volunteers and community members into a fully operational warehouse facility.

Giving Tuesday/End of Year Campaign 2025

By Open Door Exchange

Giving Tuesday/End of Year Campaign 2025

Your gift can help transform lives, one home, one family, one piece of furniture at a time.

Team Members