A Word from Our Executive Director
Dear Friends,
It is with a full heart that I write to share the news of my decision to retire as Executive Director from Furniture Friends effective November 1, 2025. I first joined the organization as a volunteer in 2013 and celebrated my 10th anniversary on staff last summer, with the last eight years serving as Executive Director. It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead this grassroots, mission-driven organization—one that truly changes lives.
In my first year on staff, we served 250 families. Within 10 years, that support has grown over 350% to a record of serving 904 families in 2024. To do that, we have engaged hundreds of volunteers, collected and distributed over 40,000 gently-used pieces of furniture while keeping those same items (amounting to thousands of tons) from the waste stream. I am amazed by what our small but mighty team has accomplished with limited resources and am extremely proud of our commitment to helping people create safe, stable homes.
What makes Furniture Friends so special is the people—our staff, board, volunteers, and generous supporters like you. Together, we’ve kept our operations going during a pandemic, raised awareness of furniture poverty, uplifted our neighbors, and advocated for safe and affordable housing that includes dignity and comfort in every home.
Now feels like the right moment to invite new leadership to guide the organization into its next phase of growth and development. I am confident that the opportunity to lead Furniture Friends will be attractive given our deeply rooted mission in homelessness prevention, our strong reputation with the community and the strength of our dedicated staff and Board of Directors.
The Board has contracted ProSearch, a Portland-based recruitment firm, to facilitate the search for the next Executive Director and I’ll remain in my role to champion the mission as they search for a replacement. Although I’ll be stepping away from my professional responsibilities in November, I’m not going far—I’ll continue to be part of this amazing community and will support the important work of Furniture Friends in new ways.
For now, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to lead Furniture Friends over the past eight years. This experience has profoundly shaped me—both personally and professionally. I’ve found deep joy in connecting with our clients, listening to their stories, recognizing our shared humanity, and witnessing the extraordinary generosity that runs throughout our community. I’ve been fortunate to learn from mentors who have guided my growth, and I’ve built friendships that I will continue to treasure for years to come.
As I step into this next chapter, I do so with immense gratitude and lasting affection for this organization and the people who make its work possible. While I’ll be stepping away from my professional role, I look forward to staying connected and continuing to support Furniture Friends and its mission in the years ahead.
Thank you for being a part of this journey.
Jenn McAdoo