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One of High Point’s most successful and prolific family businesses announced that they have established The Darrell and Stella Harris Family Donor Advised Fund with the High Point Community Foundation and will immediately embark upon a campaign to provide deserving families in the High Point Community with affordable housing. The Harris family will be working in partnership with the local Habitat for Humanity organization who provide the expertise to identify and qualify hardworking and deserving families who, with the Furnitureland South employees, will put their own sweat equity into the building of their new home.

Currently High Point has less than 50% of its population who can afford to buy their own home which means too many of the High Point citizenry are renting and not building equity and creating financial stability for the future. “I’m very proud of Darrell and Stella Harris who have recently established a Donor Advised Fund with our Foundation that will focus on making impact upon an issue that I believe is so important to the future of our community – creating more home ownership,” states Paul Lessard, President, High Point Community Foundation. “This is a huge issue for High Point as home ownership spells stability for our neighborhoods and it allows more families to create financial independence. The Harris family feels that God has blessed them and that High Point has also been very good to them and they want to give back in a meaningful and substantial manner. I believe that we are witnessing the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for the High Point community.” Darrell and Stella Harris established Furnitureland South in 1969 when Darrell sold, delivered, and serviced the furniture himself. The next year Darrell spent buying and selling, while his first employee took over the deliveries. Soon satisfied customers who had now become friends spread the word and by the mid-70’s Darrell and Stella had a 17,000 square foot showroom, then expanded to another 228,000 square feet by 1990 and ultimately surpassed 500,000 square feet in 1999! In the time that has elapsed since then the company has grown to become the largest furniture retailer in the world.

“Darrell and Stella have been dear friends as well as customers of mine when I worked at First Citizens Bank here in High Point,” remembered Bill McGuinn, Chairman of the High Point Community Foundation. “They have always been hard working, good-hearted people who cared about their family, their employees and their customers. Their success is richly deserved and this new fund they have established with the Foundation will be a great resource for our community in the years to come – we are so proud to be working with them.”

Today the Harris family are all involved with the business. Darrell serves as CEO, with two sons, Jeff and Jason in management, and Stella is also working full-time with the day to day management of the business. The family has approached their philanthropy in the same manner they have grown their business – hands on and full speed ahead. The decision to focus on housing was a natural outgrowth of their life’s work in the home furnishings business. The Furnitureland South employees have always been very involved in giving back to the community and this new endeavor will include mobilizing the company volunteers to help build High Point’s homes for tomorrow.

“It is always fun to work with people like the Harris family who have a passion for giving back and I can’t think of a more fulfilling mission than putting hard working families into their own homes," "shares Susan Wood, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity. “ This project will be something that continues to give back to our community over the years – we are so proud to partner with this fine family.”

The Furnitureland South Habitat for Humanity Home has been officially recognized, located at 328 West Point Ave. off Rotary Drive – a block past the Green Street Baptist Church.

Click here for photos of the home being built. Check back often to watch the progress.