ABDB CARES: Award-Winning Furniture Designers Launch Initiative to Support Essential Workers and Young Artists During COVID-19

Award-winning furniture studio ABDB Designs has launched the ABDB Cares Initiative, brought to you by Co-Founders Djivan Schapira & Andrew James, with 100% of profits from a new, exclusive line of ABDB Cares Coaster Sets to be donated to Frontline Foods & Free Arts NYC.

The initiative kicked off with a billboard reading “Support Essential Workers” and “Support Artists” displayed across the bay windows of ABDB Studios, overlooking the 14th street Hoboken Viaduct as well as the Western Skyline of Manhattan.

The exclusive ABDB Cares Coaster Set is handmade by Djivan, using ABDB’s patented process of embedding recycled pieces of natural end grain in custom colored resin, finished in high gloss, and will include four coasters: one red, one yellow, one orange, and one white. Red for health workers, yellow for happiness, orange for determination & creativity, and white for safety, the light at the end of the tunnel.

The coaster set will retail at $80.00 USD, directly from their website, as to reduce costs and maximize the profits we will be able to donate, thus increasing the contributions of those who decide to support this cause.

Frontline Foods supports local restaurants that have been impacted by shelter-in-place measures, while feeding healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, operating in 53 cities across the United States with over 275,000 meals delivered.

Free Arts NYC is a nearly twenty-year old organization who’s mission is to empower underserved youth through art and mentoring programs to develop their creativity, confidence, and skills to succeed.

“I have had the privilege of learning how to woodwork from my father, which helped steer me in the direction of starting this company,” says Schapira. “But not everybody gets that opportunity, so from the beginning, I always wanted to make it a priority to give back to young artists, share my knowledge, and hopefully help build their confidence that there are other paths than just going to college and getting a corporate job. Free Arts NYC is a great organization for doing just that.”

“We had been thinking about the right way to give back for a while,” says James, who is from Chicago. “It wasn’t until Djivan called me one morning with the billboard idea that the ball really started rolling. Both of my parents are physicians, and Djivan and I both have friends on the frontlines, not to mention we are small business owners, so Frontline Foods was an easy choice on that end as we are now able to contribute to both.”

CLICK HERE to purchase coasters to contribute to the donation.

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