PA Furniture Mission Helps Families Get Back on Their Feet

August 24, 2025  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

According to a report from CNBC, as of September 2022, *63% of families in America were living paycheck to paycheck, creating reduced opportunity for even those currently housed to replace old and/or passed down furniture in poor condition, no family will eat off their laps, and every home will have a light to stave off the darkness.

Furniture poverty is a concept that is not widely understood, however, when families and individuals use their limited resources to secure housing, they have little to nothing left to furnish their home with used or new furniture.

According to Pashk Sokoli, who works with the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission, “Our mission is to make sure no one has to live in an empty house,” said Pashk Sokoli, who works with the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission. “Having a bed to sleep on or a table to eat at gives people dignity and stability.”

The goal of giving the families furniture is to create warm and welcoming home for individuals experiencing economic hardship or exiting homelessness by providing an entire household of free gently used furniture.

Community partners assist the Mission like schools, churches and social service agencies. The clients, once inside the organization’s showroom, families get to pick the items they need most — an approach staff say helps turn a house into a real home.

“When people can choose what they like, it really makes the space feel like their home — not just a house with random pieces in it,” Sokoli added.

The mission also emphasizes sustainability, keeping thousands of pounds of furniture out of landfills each year while offering volunteer opportunities to give back. For many families, something as simple as a child’s first bed or a place to sit together for dinner can make a huge difference.

“It’s incredible to see the smiles,” Sokoli said. “Something as simple as a chair or a dresser can really change someone’s life.” The Pennsylvania Furniture Mission has furnished over 400 homes for families individuals experiencing financial and personal hardships in South Central PA, impacting over 1,000 people.

The Pennsylvania Furniture Mission now serves Lancaster, York, Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks, and Cumberland counties, in South/Central PA. The Mission is a 501(c)3 non-profit serving Pennsylvania residents experiencing challenges related to living near or below the poverty line.

To learn how to donate furniture or volunteer, visit pennsylvaniafurnituremission.org.