Making a difference in people’s lives and giving them a warm and furnished home is our goal as a TEAM!

History of the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission (PFM)

Amanda Reilly and Pashk Sokoli always had a deep commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. After meeting in Albania in 2014, their diverse cultural backgrounds and shared experiences became the foundation of their mission. From 2019 to 2023, they lived in Chicago, where Amanda worked as a community organizer with the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation, and Pashk gained invaluable experience working with the Chicago Furniture Bank. This work solidified their understanding of how furniture poverty affects families and how a community approach can transform lives.

Driven by passion for making real change happen and a history of great personal challenges, they envisioned a way to bring their knowledge and experience back to Amanda’s home state of Pennsylvania. Together, they founded the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission (PFM), achieving 501(c)(3) status in November 2022 and launching full operations in the summer of 2023.

Currently under Pashk’s direction, the board of directors, as well as the support of a diverse team of staff and volunteers, the PFM has fully furnished over 395 households in 2024.

In 2024 alone, the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission has provided over 741 bed sets to families and individuals experiencing economic hardships and/or transitioning into new housing after a period of housing instability or homelessness.

The organization continues to focus on furnishing homes, creating employment opportunities for people with barriers, and reducing waste by repurposing quality furniture. The PFM Family is committed to making lasting, tangible change in the lives of those we serve. The PFM’s vision is that no child or adult in South Central PA will sleep on a cold floor, no family will eat dinner off their lap or a card box, and every household will have a couch to enjoy a movie with their loved ones.

Client Testimony

It’s about turning houses into homes!

Q&A with The Founders

  • We believe in the dignity and worth of the person. Everyone deserves to have a bed to sleep in at night, and a table to eat dinner on. Each person on this earth has intrinsic value and worth. We wish to empower everyone we meet to purse their passions and achieve their dreams.

  • If we could accomplish anything, our goal would be to put a smile on others’ faces. This is the smallest difference, however, it is the first step toward change.

  • Furniture is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to setting up a home and starting down a new path, however, we believe that furniture helps turn houses into homes! Receiving gently-used free furniture enables families and individuals to use their limited financial resources and time in other places such as purchasing backpacks for their children for school, or receiving needed medical services.

  • Amanda grew up in Berks County, PA and went to Millersville University in Lancaster County, PA. Amanda was knowledgeable about the many small to medium-sized cities in the area, the challenges that face these communities, as well as the ability of others to donate furniture. This provided the essential ingredients to launching a furniture bank for South Central PA.