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Executive Director, Kaela Volkmer Transition Letter

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Dear Friends and Supporters of the Furniture Project,

I am writing to thank each and every one of you for your generous support of the Furniture Project and me over the past several months:

● Our dedicated and inspiring founder, Drew Gerken, and TFP’s Board of Directors
● Hannah Vlach-Wyble and her fabulous team at Restoring Dignity Omaha who are wonderful partners in this endeavor
● Our 271 dedicated and truly amazing volunteers
● Our 866 donors who have given furniture and housewares to share with our neighbors in need
● Our over 60 community partner agencies who work each day to assist our neighbors with the various struggles they face and refer them for our services
● Our generous financial donors who believe in us and who make our work possible
● The people that we serve each day who trust us with their vulnerabilities and knowledge of their needs

I am grateful to all. Together, we have built a web of interconnection and compassion that strengthens our community as we work together to ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors have the basic necessities to live a dignified life and to make a house a home. Over the past 5 months, with your support and our partnership with Restoring Dignity, we have jointly:

● Assisted 396 families in need of furniture and housewares
● Provided 7,459 furniture items and housewares to families in need, valuing $128,266
● Welcomed in 271 unique volunteers who have donated 2,417 hours of their time and talent
● Upcycled & repaired approximately 80 pieces of furniture, keeping them out of the landfill

Together, we have done so much good and there is much more that we can and will do.
I am also writing to inform you that due to a new and unexpected opportunity that has been offered to me, I have made the difficult decision to leave my position as Executive Director of The Furniture Project. For me, it has been the honor of a lifetime to be part of such a dynamic, caring and critically important organization. I know that The Furniture Project will continue to grow and thrive, and that our 3-year vision of taking over full
operations of the warehouse will be realized, resulting in the creation of a permanent and key piece of infrastructure in our city that will serve our neighbors in need for years to come. My dedication to and support of The Furniture Project will continue as I transition to being a board member where I will remain committed to this organization and its important mission in our community.

Please be assured that The Furniture Project Board of Directors and I, along with our partners at Restoring Dignity, have formed a strong transition plan and that we have no doubt that our new executive director will be well-positioned to move the organization to its next level of growth and success. The future is bright and promising. I look forward to staying connected as a passionate supporter of The Furniture Project with you by our side.

In Gratitude,

Kaela Volkmer, MSW, CSW
Executive Director
The Furniture Project

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