When Community Brings the HOPE
January is one of our busiest months, and 2025 started no differently, with 200 housing vouchers issued to those awaiting affordable housing. This surge in need for our services always comes at a challenging time when donations are often scarce due to the holidays and winter weather.
When the chance to receive a significant furniture donation arose during this critical time, what followed was an extraordinary week of community spirit and support - another remarkable chapter and miracle moment in Furnish Hope’s history.
This moment was made possible by volunteer Joan Cainan, who had been tirelessly building relationships with hotels and businesses for months in search of potential donations. Her efforts paid off when discussions with the project manager overseeing renovations for WorldMark resorts revealed that a major renovation was about to begin at a 47-room resort hotel property on the Long Beach Peninsula in Ocean Park, Washington.
Furnish Hope Champions are EVERYWHERE - even across state lines!
Pictured above: The Artistic General Contracting team who spearheaded the donation and expertly coordinated the logistics for removing furniture from all 47 rooms, and Furnish Hope volunteer Joan Cainan with Christopher Munoz, Assistant General Manager of the WorldMark Surfside Inn, who generously provided accommodations for our transport team.
Despite the logistical challenges, the opportunity was too valuable to pass up as we urgently needed the inventory. The next hurdle was securing transportation to our donation center. Attempts to secure bids from transportation companies were either unsuccessful or prohibitively expensive, making the donation seem increasingly out of reach.
That’s when Furnish Hope’s Executive Director, Megan Martin, received a call from Kevin Spencer, owner of Empire Construction in Bend. He was seeking furniture for a local family in need. After Megan explained that the donation center was low on inventory and orders were delayed by weeks, Kevin asked how he could help. Without hesitation, he stepped in and committed to driving his team to Washington to collect the donation himself. A true agent of hope - none of this would have been possible without him!
Just last week, Kevin and his crew from Empire Construction loaded furniture from 24 condominium units into rented U-Haul trucks and trailers and delivered everything to Bend. Volunteers helped with unload at the donation center and orders began being filled immediately. Kevin has also committed to returning next month to collect furniture from the remaining 23 units, ensuring our shelves are stocked for future orders once again.
This remarkable effort stands as a testament to how the greater Furnish Hope community continually unites to make the impossible a reality.