Housing Works’ 20th annual Design on a Dime benefit last month raised $1.25 million to support the HIV nonprofit’s mission. While meandering through marvelous showrooms, attendees shopped for fabulous furnishings while helping fight the dual epidemics of HIV and homelessness. 

 

Launched in 1990, Housing Works has grown to serve more than 30,000 low-income or homeless New Yorkers, most of whom are living with or affected by HIV and AIDS.

 

Each year, Design on a Dime raises funds and honors trailblazers in the fight to end HIV, AIDS and homelessness. Over the last 20 years, the benefit has raised more than $24 million, according to a Housing Works news release.

 

 

Spearheaded by founding chair James Huniford, the three-day event at the Metropolitan Pavilion afforded guests the opportunity to buy—at a discount of up to 80%!—one-of-a-kind items generously donated by leading home brands, showrooms and retailers, with the proceeds benefiting Housing Works. 

 

 

The benefit kicked off on April 23 with a 20th anniversary celebration dinner honoring interior designers Alessandra Branca, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent; journalist Tamron Hall; and Bloomingdale’s.

 

“Twenty years ago, [Design on a Dime] began as a small cohort of openhearted designers coming together at Housing Works in Chelsea to style a single nook and has grown to an extensive corps of designers and brands. The event was conceived as a means to harness the incredible generosity and creative force of the design community to honor our friends lost to AIDS and to help provide dignity and security to those living with HIV,” Huniford said in the release. “I am forever grateful for the continued support.” 

 

 

 

This year’s benefit featured the work of nearly 50 of the world’s top interior designers. See the full list of participating designers here.

 

 

If you couldn’t attend Design on a Dime, check out Housing Works’ other springtime events, including Pretty in Thrift on May 15, a free event featuring vintage clothing, accessories, cocktails and more.

 

To read more, click #Housing Works. There, you’ll see headlines such as “Watch Bodies and Coffins Pile Up in Protest Against Cuts to HIV and Health Services,” “Two NYC AIDS Bike Rides Raise Over $2.3M for HIV Efforts” and “HIV Activists March in NYC to Protest “Death by 1,000 Musk Cuts.”