From home delivery truck drivers, to customer support agents, and backend engineers, the Wayfair community is made up of over 16,000 individuals from around the world who play a role in helping that dream couch, nightstand, or patio set make it to your front door.
During the day, they’re working to help make your home just right for you; but in their off-hours, they’re finding unique and creative ways to celebrate home in their own communities. In honor of our 20 Years of Home, join us in celebrating 20 Wayfair employees who are going above and beyond to give back to the communities they care about!
Maggie: The Community Mobilizer
Maggie M. volunteers with
Heading Home, one of Boston's leading providers of emergency shelter, transitional, and permanent housing, to help organize events for the Wayfair marketing team such as educational info sessions, winter clothing drives, beautification projects, and more. Together the team believes there’s no better way to live up to our Wayfair mission to support housing and a sense of home for all.
Dion: The Loving Caretaker
Since 2016, Dion A. has volunteered with
Viola’s House, a maternity home for homeless teenagers. After personally seeing her sister struggle with being a teen mom, it was important for Dion to give back to an organization that can be a true home to mothers and their babies. From providing diapers, clothes, and toys to new moms at high schools, to taking care of babies, and even helping out with parenting classes at the organization’s new Baby Benefit Boutique, Dion believes that “Viola’s House is not just a home, it’s a refuge, peace, and a village of people with a heart to help.”
Paulo: The Pilot on a Mission
Software engineer Paulo Q. is a proud volunteer pilot with
Flights for Life, which provides free air transport to get blood to hospitals, blood banks, and healthcare agencies. “Bridging the gap between large urban communities and smaller communities by providing access to healthcare resources allows me to help create that feeling of home for anyone no matter where they are.”
Neha: The Teacher Turned Mentor
Neha G. on Wayfair’s environmental, social, and corporate governance team volunteers as a mentor with
Minds Matter Boston, an organization that connects driven and determined students from low-income communities with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college and their careers. Prior to Wayfair, she taught 7th grade math with Teach for America and saw first hand the systemic challenges that her 250 students faced when writing their personal statements and completing their financial aid applications. Now, she’s able to help pay it forward and be that person for her mentee, Dorlie!
Liz: The Champion Event Planner
Video editor by day and golf tournament organizer by night, Liz C. is a proud volunteer with
The Redhawk Foundation, a local organization in her hometown that supports youth athletic programming with financial assistance for fees, equipment, and athletic fields and facilities. Liz helped raise over $34,000 for the organization by planning their inaugural golf tournament and silent auction!
Paul: The Outdoor Hero
As a veteran himself, supply chain manager Paul H. volunteers with
The Fallen Outdoors to support veterans and active-duty military in his local community. He helps organize outdoor activities to create a community for veterans, wounded warriors, and active-duty military, while also teaching them valuable skills and fostering a passion for the outdoors that they can continue for a lifetime.
Erica: The Survivor
After being diagnosed with a brain aneurysm in 2018, Erica N. leaned on the
Brain Aneurysm Foundation for support during her recovery. Today, as a survivor, she gives back to the organization by participating in their annual Arterial Challenge, a walk to raise funds and support brain aneurysm awareness and research.
Karan: The Tree Planter
Prior to his career at Wayfair, Karan S. on our partner operations team founded
Grow-Trees in India. He thought, “What better way to celebrate or memorialize important moments than by planting a tree?” To date, the organization has planted over 10 million trees in honor of others, making a tremendous impact on the environment by absorbing over 211 million kilograms of carbon each year and giving back to the home we all share.
Abhilasha: The Talent Show Organizer
Abhilasha N. on Wayfair’s people analytics team volunteers with the
AttachAvi Autism Foundation, a New Jersey-based organization that provides daily life enhancement programs for children and adults with autism. Her volunteer engagement started in 2016 - planning their first annual talent show with over 60 children showcasing their talents, 300+ audience members, and even a guest appearance by the local town mayor! Since then she’s helped organize countless events, activities, and celebrations to help create a strong sense of community and “home” for those with disabilities.
Carly: The Runner
Wayfairian Carly L. has volunteered with
Girls on the Run since 2015 and now serves as Co-Chair for the Boston Associate Board. As a long-time supporter of the organization’s mission to create a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential, Carly especially loves that “the program is inclusive to girls of all abilities and they never turn a girl away if she can’t afford the program.”
Sarah: The Creative Problem-Solver
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic as healthcare facilities were faced with ventilator shortages, Sarah L. partnered with a friend to launch
TVP Health, a nonprofit dedicated to developing low-cost ventilators. They built a team of over 200 volunteers, their ventilator "AIRA" received FDA authorization for emergency use in just 1 year, it's been shipped internationally, and is currently featured in the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in NYC (as highlighted in the photo).
Shelly: The Dog Mom With An Open Door
Shelly A. on our real estate team has been a long-time volunteer with
English Springer Rescue America since 2017, fostering English Springers impounded by humane societies, private shelters, and animal control facilities across the country. As a proud dog mom to two English Springer Spaniels, she volunteers in many different ways, including opening her home to dogs until they find their forever homes.
Anne: The Climate Activist
Anne S. on Wayfair’s talent development team leverages skills from her role to support the next generation of climate activists with
Work on Climate, a non-profit focused on empowering people to join the fight against climate change. She specifically dedicates time to support climate activists with resources and finding meaningful work in the climate activism ecosystem; or in Wayfair terms, finding their “home” in climate work.
Mike: The Baseball Coach
Mike S. has volunteered with
Foxboro Youth Baseball and Softball Association for ten years and serves on the organization’s board of directors. Mike believes that it's important for kids to have a fun environment to play with their friends. “Sports is a home for many kids so the team environment should be welcoming and feel like home for every child who participates.”
Cassandra: The Philanthropist
Cassandra T. volunteers with
The Philanthropy Connection, an organization that supports women to engage in collective giving to nonprofits that address systemic inequities. Alongside 250 other women, Cassandra supports Boston-based organizations in Wayfair’s own backyard that are doing on-the-ground work to address issues such as housing insecurity, immigration, educational opportunity, and more.
Mitchell: The Furry Friend Finder
After realizing how few resources existed when his wife needed a service dog, Mitchell C. launched his own organization,
Service Paws by Service Dog Support and Training Solutions, to assist individuals looking to get a service dog. Not only does Service Paws work with local shelters to find dogs with the right temperament, but they also provide training and materials to help support service dog owners navigate the transition to having a new furry friend by their side!
Mike: The Helping Hand
Mike D. a product design co-op at Wayfair, volunteers with
Feed the Streets, an organization providing hand-to-hand distribution of food, hygiene products, clothing, and educational items to individuals in underserved communities. “This organization is important to me because it provides a sense of home to those in my community who might not have one,” shared Mike.
Nichole: The Voice of the Animals
To Nichole A., giving back to the community means speaking up for those who may not speak our language per se, but certainly bark, meow, chirp, or communicate in other ways! She volunteers with the
Greenhill Humane Society, her local animal shelter that rescues, heals and adopts thousands of pets each year. From washing dishes to preparing for “Bark in the Park!”, their annual fundraiser, Nichole gives back because all animals "love unconditionally and deserve to have a safe and comfortable place to call home too."
Stephanie: The Thanksgiving “Host”
For the past nine years, Stephanie N. on our imagery QA team has volunteered with
It Starts with ME’s annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive to provide full Thanksgiving meals to families in need. She shared, “I have fond memories of Thanksgiving when I was a child because it’s about being grateful… so helping support families and homes who may not have had a meal on Thanksgiving means so much to me.”
Amanda: The Animal Lover
Prior to life at Wayfair, Amanda A. devoted her time to her love of animals as a professional horse trainer for over 17 years. As an avid foster mom for
St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, she often houses litters of recent NICU graduated kittens and their mothers, as well as animals who have been rescued from hoarding and neglect cases. Be sure to keep an eye out for guest appearances from adoptable furry friends during your next video call with her!"
Join us in celebrating
20 Years of Home by learning more about the people, stories, and innovations that got us to where we are today!