Community Spotlight: Madras
Furnish Hope is the only furniture bank to serve Central Oregon's tri-counties of Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook. Community spotlights shine light on the hope that is growing throughout these counties. The transformations supported through Furnish Hope's mission as well as the collaborative spirit and heart of people who demonstrate genuine care for their neighbors are truly changing lives!
Less than a one-hour drive north of Bend lies the city of Madras, a tight-knit community of almost 8,000 residents built on the histories of generations of families and the shared values of compassion and collaboration. Since 2021, Furnish Hope has joined efforts with 19 referring agencies in Madras to furnish 191 households with essentials and hope. Our deliveries to Madras have become a weekly occurrence, and last year, we furnished an average of two homes every month.
One special moment occurred when former recipient Lisa Hamilton stopped by our booth to say hello and express her deep appreciation for the impact Furnish Hope had on her life. In 2021, she and her husband, Scott, lost their home in a fire, and without insurance, they were unable to rebuild. Furnish Hope stepped in to provide furniture and essentials, and now Lisa plans to pay that forward as a Furnish Hope volunteer in her Madras community.
Furnish Hope & BestCare: Compassionate Solutions
BestCare, one of the longest-term mental health providers in Central Oregon, helps people find the help they need in a caring and collaborative environment. Since they began in 1997, they have grown from a modest, singular drug rehab center to offering residential and outpatient services in four cities and becoming the only Spanish-speaking alcohol and drug rehab facility in the state.
Furnish Hope's relationship with BestCare runs deep. Our shared commitment to breaking cycles, fostering human connections and delivering hopeful solutions drives us to continually work together. Since 2021, we have furnished 138 households for BestCare clients throughout Central Oregon.
We recently helped transform a triplex unit in Madras that will house fourteen recovering addicts. Generous community donations supported this outreach and we were able to furnish bedrooms, kitchens and living spaces in each of these three units. The end result of these donations and volunteer efforts was a sanctuary for healing and personal growth.
Madras Volunteers Become Donors
Joy and Dan Jansen were first introduced to Furnish Hope only months ago when they helped a Madras recipient with a pick-up at our Bend Donation Center. Wanting to help and become a part of our collective impact, they generously donated a portion of the unsold inventory from their furniture store which closed several years ago. Waiting for Furnish Hope in their storage building were 24 bed frames and boxes of new pillows and bed linens. Thanks to the Jansens, many of our recipients will now enjoy a comfortable night's sleep!