Together,
We Furnish Hope
2025 Annual Report
A LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER
Dear Friends,
As we reflect upon 2025, we look back at a year that presented us with many new opportunities and challenges. From adapting to changes in government policy regarding refugee resettlement to welcoming new employees, volunteers and partners, we continue to strive every single day to build a resource that will endure beyond our tenure.
Our proudest milestone is reflected in the number 1,312. The total number of families served in the year. This number represents nearly 4,000 individuals, over 2,000 of which are children, who are now sleeping in beds, eating meals with loved ones at tables and generally feeling comfortable at home.
We are once again humbled by the overwhelming support we’ve received from this incredibly generous community and with this support we will continue to stand with and for our neighbors in every way we are able.
In solidarity,
Drew Gerken, Founder
The Furniture Project
MEASURABLE IMPACT
Tracking the amount and type of furniture that we provide, we know that we have helped promote positive home environments for families to thrive and spend time together.
Our Goals
Our staff delivered thousands of pieces of household items and set up hundreds of homes in 2025.
The Furniture Project has three measurable goals to track and illustrate our impact.
Create a more comfortable living environment which leads to positive health outcomes due to improved sleep quality and lower stress while creating gathering spaces for families for social engagement at home, regardless of family income.
In 2025 we distributed:
1,859 Beds
1,743 Couches, Sofas & Upholstered Chairs
672 Dining Sets (Plates, Cups, Silverware)
115 Baby Beds (Cribs, Toddler Beds)
896 Dressers
529 Kitchen Starter Kits (Pots, Pans, Spatulas)
2,275 Bath Towels
763 New Bed Pillows
Hundreds of Lamps, Rugs, Bookshelves, Desks & Other Furniture Items
Allow families to devote more of their limited resources to cover other basic needs, build savings and save for larger purchases.
We track and estimate the value of goods each family receives, and total value of furniture provided over time. The estimated value of furniture and household goods distributed in 2025 totaled more than $650,000.
Develop new relationships and outreach to expand our reach to more families in need.
We continued to develop efficiencies and streamline a system that now serves 240 social service agencies and charitable entities in our area. Our work supported 3,968 individuals, including 2,002 children, in 2025.
$650,000
The total estimated value of furniture and household goods distributed in 2025.
3,968
The number of individuals served in 2025, including
2,002 children.
240
Agencies Supported
FULL CIRCLE: A STORY OF HOPE
On a cold morning in 2024, we first met Brian. He was using our large garbage dumpster as his shelter and fashioned socks into gloves to protect his hands from the winter weather. Brian explained to our founder, Drew, who had arrived to work in our warehouse, that he had lost his gloves and was just trying to stay warm.
A Cup of Coffee
Drew instinctively welcomed Brian into our office and listened to his story. As the two chatted together and warmed up over a cup of coffee, Drew shared our mission and why we do what we do. Although Brian did not have a space for us to furnish, we told him to check in with us if there was anything we could do to help him when he was ready.
It wasn’t until November 2025 that we saw Brian again when we delivered furniture to his new apartment. Through a referral from CHI Health at Home, Brian was able to walk into a new home with their support and guidance. However, he needed some help with the essentials to furnish and transform his new space.
With his list of requested items, our team went to work gathering a mix of household items, furniture and small appliances. Through the generosity of our donors, we delivered a bed, dresser, kitchen table and chairs, living room seating and more. By having his once emptied apartment filled with essential household items, the burden of furnishing his new apartment was lifted off Brian’s shoulders and he felt relief as he transitioned into the next phase of his life.
Walking into Brian’s apartment a year after meeting him was a full-circle moment. Seeing him back on his feet and doing well was inspiring to us. When our neighbors have beds, a dining table and other household items, they are better prepared to succeed.
"When I first met Brian, he was just trying to stay warm. All I could do at the time was offer him a cup of coffee and a listening ear. To see him a year later with a furnished apartment and back on his feet — that's exactly why we do this work. Everyone deserves a home that feels like one."
Drew Gerken, The Furniture Project Founder
RAPID RESPONSE: CITY VIEW APARTMENTS
The Furniture Project stands ready to help the community no matter the situation.
When our community faces change, we are proud to step in to help. With news that the City View Apartments in downtown Omaha would be closing in July 2025, hundreds of people were suddenly left looking for new housing, forced to relocate in a matter of weeks.
The Furniture Project responded by partnering with Metro Housing Collaborative and the North Omaha Community Partnership to deliver furniture and household items to those displaced by the sudden closing. Many residents had to leave all their belongings behind, but in just a few weeks we were able to provide everything they needed to make their new homes comfortable.
Beginning in July, we completely furnished more than 60 homes, providing peace of mind during a difficult time. Our team’s ability to adapt to the rapidly changing needs of our community is our strength. The generosity of donors positioned us to jump into action when the moment called for it.
We Answered the Call
The Furniture Project has fully furnished 63 homes of people, including 83 adults and 45 children, displaced from the City View Apartments. As a result of our collaboration, hundreds of household goods were redistributed in a matter of weeks.
64 Mattresses
44 Sofas
40 Kitchen Tables
96 Kitchen Chairs
37 Kitchen Starter Kits
44 Dish Sets
46 Dressers
22 Bookshelves
18 Desks
97 End Tables
OUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
We take our responsibility to those who drive our work in the community seriously. We carefully allocate resources and prioritize efficiency to ensure funding has a meaningful, direct impact.
2025 Expenses
2025 Revenue
Receiving Generosity with Gratitude
We want to share a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our mission in 2025.
Every donation and grant we receive is intentionally put to work supporting our mission and the people we serve. Whether you gave financially or donated furniture, your generosity and belief in our work truly made a difference. Because of you, thousands of people in our community were able to create more stable, comfortable homes during times of change and transition. Your generous support helps turn empty rooms into welcoming spaces and reminds families that they are not alone.
We are grateful for your generosity and trust in our work. Thank you for being part of our family and for helping make our community stronger.
OUR TEAM IN DELIVERING LOVE
Our team understands that each individual's circumstances are unique and it is our collective responsibility to support and care for one another.
OUR TEAM
Drew Gerken, Founder
Matt Hoppe, Executive Director
Missy Bauer, Director of Operations
Tinca Joyner, Community Relations Coordinator
Eh Htoo Gay, Warehouse Manager
Htee Ku, Delivery/Warehouse Team
Richard Peña Peralta, Delivery/Warehouse Team
Eh Kalu Htoo, Delivery/Warehouse Team
Hei Ku Soe, Delivery/Warehouse Team
OUR BOARD
Drew Gerken, President
Omaha Fire Department
Kaela Volkmer, Vice President
Creighton University
Jay Koehn, Secretary
McGrath North
Jason McGill, Treasurer
Creighton University
Amanda Hall, Board Member
Orel Alliance
Racquel Henderson, Board Member
City of Omaha
Lacey Studnicka, Board Member
Habitat for Humanity
OUR PARTNERS IN FURNISHING HOPE
We partner with more than 240 referring agencies, representing over 1,500 case managers, and our list of partners is always growing. Recently, we increased our corporate and community partners which resulted in an increase in donated items and volunteer groups. Our community partners extend into western and central Iowa, donating furniture from as far away as Panora, Iowa.
Download Report to View Partners