“Immigrants in the U.S. have the unique opportunity to establish themselves and accomplish change in communities, where they may or may not in their own countries, no matter how much they love their home nation. That is why the Pennsylvania Furniture Mission is so important to me.”

-Pashk Sokoli

About The Founders

Pashk and Amanda always knew they had a passion for making a difference in the lives of others. After meeting in Albania in 2014, a combination of cultures, languages, and experiences brought them together - enhancing their lives ever since. From 2019 to 2023, they lived in Chicago, experiencing the challenges of living and working on the south side of the city. They recognized their desire to serve others in need, taking their combined skill sets to serve a new population in Amanda’s home state of Pennsylvania.

Meet Amanda and Pashk

  • As a youth, Amanda, a Pennsylvania native from Berks County, could be found on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other family gatherings carefully preparing and designing the fruit and pickle trays. Being involved in her family and in the community has always been at the center of her life. From high school through the present she volunteered with a wide variety of organizations from Habitat for Humanity to a ministry providing outreach to those experiencing homeless on the streets of Philadelphia.

    With a heart for helping family and those less fortunate around her, Amanda studied social work at Millersville University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 2012. Amanda has more than a decade of experience working in the nonprofit industry. She worked, volunteered, and lived, both domestically and abroad serving diverse populations including members of communities with mental illness, survivors of domestic violence, individuals experiencing homelessness, at-risk children and youth, and many more.

    Most recently, Amanda has spent the last four years doing grass-roots community organizing in the southwest side of Chicago and the west suburbs, working on the issues of eviction prevention, affordable housing, mental health, workforce development, and gun violence/safety.

  • An Albanian national, and immigrant to the United States in 2019, Pashk had the heart to seek opportunities to provide support to others. Since a young age, Pashk was always actively involved in his home village, Shen Vlash, outside of Durres, Albania. Serving as a volunteer youth organizer and program facilitator at the local community center run by a group of sisters called the Canossian Daughters of Charity, Pashk set an example for the other young boys and men in the community.

    Pashk has a diverse background having worked in construction, concrete, factories, call centers, and management in his home country. Having experienced the challenges of growing up in a family with limited financial resources, due to the economic conditions of his country, Pashk always wanted to offer opportunities to others that he did not always have for his own family.

    He began his career in the non-profit industry working in 2019 at Chicago Furniture Bank, the largest furniture bank in the USA. He started as a driver, and then grew into the operations manager role. Under Pashk’s leadership, the company grew from two trucks picking up furniture and serving approximately 350 households to a fleet of fourteen trucks that is now furnishing over 4,200 homes annually.

Q&A with Pashk and Amanda

  • 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 to not let economics prevent them from achieving 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.

  • We met in Albania in November 2014 while Amanda was an international volunteer with the VOICA program run by the Canossian Daughters of Charity. Pashk was also a local volunteer with the same organization, assisting to run youth programming and developing future community leaders. The night that they met they danced together, and that was only the beginning.

  • As Pashk was a non-US citizen, Amanda and Pashk were separated almost two years after being married, while Pashk waited for an immigration visa. For this reason, and many others, Pashk and Amanda understand the importance of keeping the family together under one roof. Pashk just became a US citizen in February 2023, however, he will never forget his roots, and his journey to citizenship.

  • Upon relocating to Chicago, IL in 2018, Amanda arrived with the back of her 2003 Honda Civic loaded with personal items and no furniture. When Pashk joined her in 2019 after receiving his immigration visa, there was almost no furniture in the apartment. Before Pashk’s arrival in the US, Pashk’s family had experienced challenges with replacing old furniture due to the economic conditions in his country.

  • 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 is an important piece of that puzzle. 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.