"This isn't a handout," said Amanda Reilly-Sokoli, executive director of the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission. "It's a hand up. Our goal is to fill a hole and a need in the community. We work with existing organizations, and we support the whole family."

Pennsylvania Furniture Mission opened in June in a warehouse off of Chestnut Street in Columbia.

"We provide a full household of furniture to people who need it," said Pashk Sokoli, chief operating officer and Amanda's husband. "People get to choose what they want. We have couches, tables, chairs, dressers, mattresses, beds, lamps, small appliances. We give them the dignity of choice. Our goal is to convert a house into a home."

Although the 501(c)(3) organization is new to the region, its operating concept is well-established. Prior to relocating to central Pennsylvania, Pashk served as director of operations for the Chicago Furniture Bank, the largest furniture bank in the nation.

An Albanian immigrant, he grew up in a family that at times experienced homelessness. He met Berks County-native Amanda when she was doing mission work in Albania, and they ultimately decided to launch their own furniture mission in Amanda's home state.

"We wanted to work in a place where the help was most needed," Pashk said, of the decision to start the organization in Columbia. From its warehouse, the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission can serve clients in five counties - Lancaster, York, Dauphin, Lebanon and Berks.

The organization relies on donations for its inventory, accepting gently used furniture from individuals as well as from companies and organizations who are closing or transitioning to new items.

"We have standards for the furniture we accept," Pashk said. "We won't take anything with stains, rips or tears. If we don't think we can use it in our home, we don't take it."

All items are thoroughly cleaned with high-grade sanitizer, and many pieces are refurbished or refinished at the warehouse before they go out to a client's home.

Pennsylvania Furniture Mission clients are referred to the organization by various community nonprofit organizations. Clients are able to come in person to shop for furniture in the warehouse, or they can set up a virtual appointment.

The organization delivers the furniture to the client's home, and Amanda and Pashk recently took out a loan to purchase a 16-foot box truck for deliveries, which is saving them time and money now that they don't have to rent delivery trucks. They are looking for sponsors to help offset the cost of the new truck, and sponsors will be able to place a sticker with their logo on the truck.

So far, both Amanda and Pashk are volunteering in their positions with the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission. Their goal is to be able to not only provide employment for people to drive the delivery truck and help with deliveries, but also earn a salary themselves.

For now, however, they are content with the strides they've made in a short amount of time.

"We believe in empowering people," Amanda said, noting that their clientele includes anyone experiencing financial hardship, including people coming out of homelessness or incarceration. "Our goal is to get them established for future success."

For more information on Pennsylvania Furniture Mission, visit https://pennsylvaniafurnituremission.org.