Furniture Project Omaha
About Furniture Project Omaha
Sometimes the need is as plain as an empty apartment. Furniture Project Omaha helps individuals and families referred by social service agencies get free furniture and household goods so they have beds, tables, couches, and the everyday pieces that make a place feel livable. In 2025 alone, it served 1,312 families and 3,968 individuals, including 2,002 children.
What sets Furniture Project Omaha apart is how practical and immediate its help is. It takes donated furniture and household items, inspects and cleans them, and gets them to referred clients through delivery or pickup, so a family starting over does not have to begin with nothing.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Free furniture and household goods distribution
Provides free, high-quality furniture and household items to referred individuals and families, including beds, couches, tables, dressers, housewares, and small appliances.
Furniture donation intake and pickup
Accepts gently used furniture and household items through warehouse drop-off and qualifying local pickup.
Referral partner coordination
Works with social service agencies and approved organizations to receive and process client referrals for furniture assistance.
Volunteer warehouse support
Offers volunteer roles in sorting, cleaning, repairing, packing, loading, and preparing furniture for delivery.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
We connect people through the redistribution of abundances so that every home has the furniture people need to rest, heal and thrive.
Who they serve
Individuals and families in the Omaha metro area who are starting over and are referred by social service agencies or approved partners, including people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, survivors of domestic violence, refugees and immigrants, veterans, older adults, children, and single parents.
Their impact
- In 2025, served 1,312 families and 3,968 individuals, including 2,002 children.
- In 2025, distributed furniture and household goods with an estimated value of more than $650,000.
- In response to the City View Apartments closure, fully furnished 63 homes for 83 adults and 45 children.
- In 2024, furnished 1,622 households and served 5,233 individuals, including 2,643 children.
- Over 12 years, redeployed approximately $750,000 worth of gently used furniture into the Omaha community.
How your donation helps
- Beds, couches, tables, dressers, and other essential home furnishings
- Housewares and small appliances for newly furnished homes
- Linens, pillows, kitchen utensils, pots and pans
- Warehouse operations, delivery, pickup, and item preparation
- Free furniture assistance for families referred by partner agencies
Our story
Furniture Project Omaha started in 2013 with a call that left a lasting impression. Drew Gerken and colleagues from the Omaha Fire Department responded to a family home with no furniture, rallied the community through social media, and furnished the apartment in a single day with high-quality furniture and household items. That moment became the reason the organization exists: to help neighbors get the essentials that make home feel safe and comfortable.
Need help?
How someone in need can access Furniture Project Omaha’s services.
Clients referred by social service agencies and other approved partner organizations are eligible to receive furniture and household items free of charge. A case manager or social worker submits the referral, and clients can choose pickup or delivery based on what works best for them. The organization serves the Omaha metro delivery area, and clients outside the metro can arrange to pick up from the warehouse. The FAQ notes that there is a wait list and that the waiting period is at least four weeks.
Stories
The people behind the work.
In their words
Drew Gerken: "Everyone deserves a home that feels like one."
2025 TFP client: "This program is a blessing. We didn't have anything. We received an abundance of assistance. [The Furniture Project] changed our sadness to happiness. We are so grateful for everything we received."
Jennifer S., Millard Public Schools: "I can honestly say that every family we have helped to support with The Furniture Project has been overjoyed with the generosity."
Patty Pandzik, volunteer: "I come here and it makes me happy. I walk away with a big smile on my face every time. The Furniture Project provides a sense of purpose to serve a community in need."
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Furniture Project Omaha has shared.
Current needs
- Linens
- Pillows
- Sheets
- Comforters
- Kitchen utensils
- Pots and pans
- Smaller-sized dining tables
- Dressers
- Beds
Volunteer opportunities
- Sort donated housewares and group items for stocking and redistribution
- Shop, tag, and pack requested items for referred clients
- Assist office staff with forms, questions, and supplies
- Accept donations, load and unload vehicles, prepare deliveries, make minor furniture repairs, and clean items
- Host a donation drive with a group or volunteer in the warehouse
Recognition & press
In the media
- KETV, Mayor Ewing plans to partner with The Furniture Project after their work helping City View residents
- KETV, Final residents of City View apartment are relocated to proper housing
Press & mentions
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
Who can receive furniture from The Furniture Project?
People referred by social service agencies and other approved partner organizations can receive furniture and household items free of charge.
How does someone get started if they need furniture?
A case manager or social worker can submit a referral. If someone is not working with an agency, the organization offers a Guide to Receiving Furniture to help point them in the right direction.
What area does The Furniture Project serve?
It delivers within the Omaha metro delivery area and serves clients outside the metro area who can arrange to pick up from the warehouse.
What happens after a referral is submitted?
The organization estimates a timeframe, keeps the referring partner updated, and schedules delivery or pickup once the selected items are ready.
What happens to donated items before they are distributed?
Items are inspected, cleaned, and given simple repairs if needed before they are provided to families and individuals.
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