In 2008, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rebecca Mann joined the military and began her first tour of Afghanistan. Then, during her second deployment in March 2014, she sustained an injury to her right foot – an incident which led to multiple surgeries and, ultimately, the double amputation of both her legs.

Army Specialist Michael Monthervil always dreamed of joining the Army and enlisted when he was a sophomore in college. He quickly became attached to the 10th Mountain Division and joined the Special Forces. In 2014, while Michael was stationed in Afghanistan, he sustained a neck and spinal cord injury while completing a training exercise, and no longer has use of his legs.

On September 21, Wayfair held its first-ever skills-based volunteering event at the Copley Headquarters called Building a Bridge, where seven teams of Wayfair employee volunteers came together and leveraged their skills and experience towards a shared purpose: finding a solution to a problem being faced by a local non-profit organization.

With the opening of our first Wayfair store in Wilmette, Ill. in 2024, we are excited to give back and get involved in our new community. Together, members from both Habitat for Humanity’s local Chicago chapter and Wayfair’s Physical Retail team came together to take part in a volunteer day to work on the construction of a two-home project in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood in South Side Chicago. Throughout the day, Wayfair employees teamed up with Habitat for Humanity community members to cut and install sheathing, and also put up drywall for the two homes.

As we shared our latest Corporate Responsibility report with the world, which offers a transparent look at our progress against our key commitments, we also saw an opportunity to have those who are most deeply involved in our core pillars – Our Communities, Our Workplace, and Our Planet – speak to them directly and offer their perspectives on our progress and achievements.

At Wayfair, we are committed to empowering our employees to give back to their communities through volunteering. We believe in harnessing their passions by encouraging employees to take volunteer time off as well as providing opportunities to support Wayfair’s nonprofit partners who are doing work around the world to provide housing and a sense of home for all.

At Wayfair, we believe we have an opportunity and responsibility to leverage our operational capabilities and expertise to give back and make an impact. This Giving Tuesday, and every day, we’re inspired to make a difference through the bond we share with our customers, our communities, and our people. In addition to giving back, we recognize the importance of reflection and expressing gratitude to the countless individuals and organizations who have played a role in helping us make a difference — both at home and around the world.

For Army Specialist Michael S. Monthervil, who was injured in Afghanistan in 2014, having space to move around and be comfortable at home is crucial to his recovery. While doing training exercises, SPC Monthervil sustained a spinal cord injury after falling on his neck, resulting in the loss of use of his legs. After going through surgery and rehabilitation, he has focused on recovery and has found ways to stay active, regaining movement in his arms and dexterity in his hands. However, his current home is not wheelchair accessible, making it difficult for him to focus on and prioritize his recovery.

Everyone deserves a place to call home, and at Wayfair, we’re proud to partner with Community Solutions to help make this possible. Through the Built For Zero movement, Community Solutions supports counties and cities across the U.S. to use data-driven systems to radically change how they can work to end homelessness.