‘We’re proud of our diversity’: Used furniture store in Moncton provides second chances

A Moncton workshop gives furniture and people a second chance.

If you have an old couch or mattress stored in the basement or garage and are not sure what to do with it, the crew at a Moncton recycling workshop will gladly take it.

Part used furniture store, part thrift shop, l’Atelier Seconde Chance/Second Chance Workshop has two main goals.

“One is trying to save as much furniture so it doesn’t go to the dump site, and the second mission is working with people on social assistance and trying to find them a job,” said board director Jean-Claude Cormier.

Located in the Moncton Industrial Park, Second Chance is a not-for-profit that puts unemployed people to work on programs that focus on being employable and adapting to different work environments.

Through a contract with Social Development, Cormier said they are sent young people who want to get into the workforce, many of whom haven’t graduated from high school. It’s a 20-week program that teaches people how to behave at work.

The workshop currently has people from Ukraine, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Congo and Sierra Leone on staff.

“We have a variety of people, different cultures. Personally, I’m very proud of that,” said Cormier. “We’re proud of our diversity.”

Through government funding and donations, a small breakfast and a hot lunch is provided to the employees each day.

As employee coordinator, it’s up to Rupa Das to make sure everyone is fed and doing what they should be.

“They are really dedicated workers,” she said.

Das came to Moncton from India in 2018 and started at the workshop in 2021, her first job in Canada.

She said a lot of newcomers shop at the store because they are looking for affordable items to furnish their first home in Canada.

The deal they get at Second Chance will be much better than at one of the big furniture stores in the city, she said.

“A mattress will cost them at least $2,000 and for $1,000 they can get, I wouldn’t say fancy, but to get started, that’s what they need,” said Das.

But it’s not just newcomers coming in.

“We also have local people looking for a good bargain you know and we’re fortunate that people are giving us a lot of good stuff,” said Cormier.

Das said every item of used furniture that is donated is cleaned and mattresses are washed thoroughly and well steamed before being put on the floor.

On Monday, the provincial government spent $146,000 for much-needed upgrades to the building.

Cormier said the roof had to be fixed last year and the money from the province reimbursed 45 per cent of the repair job.

“It was leaking in about ten spots and it was getting worse and worse so, if we hadn’t fixed the roof when we did, in a few years the building would have been in rumbles. We would have lost the building,” said Cormier. “That would have been a shame.”

Six MLAs from the Greater Moncton area spent an additional $20,000 from their Community Investment Funds so Second Chance could purchase new tools.

In a news release from the province, Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage called it a very worthy organization.

“The volunteers at l’Atelier Seconde Chance are doing an amazing job supporting youth at risk and we are pleased to be able to support them,” said LePage.

Das said her workplace is a great place to be.

“Of course. That I can vouch on,” said Das. “Everybody is happy here. Whoever is working, everybody is happy.”

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