Community Builds Community
FS Connects has made it possible to spend time with inspiring thinkers and makers in a social setting, as well as given me the chance to meet makers that I otherwise would never have had a chance to get to know. This national network of people, made available through FS Connects’ educators’ forum, the Noise/Makers series, and other virtual events, has been a comfort and an inspiration. I am deeply grateful for that.
-Zeke Leonard — TFS Member, Educator at Syracuse University School of Design
Dear Friends of Furniture,
A year ago, we proudly launched Craft For a Greater Good (CGG) which connects with and serves our annual conference cities through partnerships and impactful projects.
This year, we were thrilled to receive funding from The John & Robyn Horn Foundation, The Sarah Little Turnbull Foundation, and the Moeller Family Foundation, enabling us to launch a pivotal local resident fellow position to ensure the success of Craft For a Greater Good. These developments have reinforced our dedication to building community and empowering furniture designers and makers across the country. CGG represents everything we stand for and we are fully committed to seeing these initiatives come to life. We couldn’t be prouder.
And yet, a year later, the world is a very different place than it was when we launched CGG. When COVID forced us to hit the ‘pause button’ on all of our in-person events including CGG and the annual conference, we couldn’t have anticipated how much would change. It was clear, however, that there was a clarion call to serve our community in new ways.
In response, we created FS Connects, an online platform for virtual programs and engagement. We believe this is critical to continuing to build and serve our community.
We are honored to have received initial funding from Rockler Woodworking Tools & Hardware toward the production of FS Connects which makes programs like this possible.
FS Connects is designed by and for the community. Anyone can contribute content and all are welcome to participate. FS Connects will provide virtual programming that looks critically at furniture’s history, spotlights members, and demonstrates furniture’s role in building a better future. Through group conversations, online exhibitions, interviews, storytelling, demonstrations, and more, it allows us to amplify our collective experiences, history, knowledge, and skills by providing low-cost opportunities for learning, discourse, and community building.
FS Connects programmatic highlights from our first six months:
-Noise/Makers — Those who make instruments and play them
-Sketchbook — Makers sharing pages from their sketchbooks
-Show Us Your… — Live, virtual get togethers — “Show & Tell”
-Spotlight on, Interviews, Featured Member Mondays, Educator Engagement Meetings, and more.
In the works:
-Interviews with past Award of Distinction recipients including Gary Knox Bennett, Rosanne Somerson, Wendy Maruyama, and Bebe Johnson
-Online exhibitions and virtual gallery/museum tours
-Conversations with high school shop and furniture educators
-Group discussions with students
With the challenges being faced by the arts in this moment, your support makes a profound difference. By supporting the Furniture Society, you are sustaining and shaping our community, contributing to edifying the next generation, and solidifying furniture’s legacy. When we live our values, we can transform our field and advance new ideas.
Won’t you please consider joining us in our continued work of building this community by making a tax-deductible contribution to TFS before December 31st?
Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy holiday season,
Warmly,

Monica C. Hampton
Executive Director