Helpful Partners

I’ve been incredibly blessed by the support of people who have shared their time, wisdom, and resources to help shape Renewed Furnishing into what it’s becoming.

Diane Malcoun, Manager of the Cortopassi Family Foundation, has been a mentor to me for several years—and now, I’m honored to also call her a friend. When I first shared the idea of Renewed Furnishing with her in July 2024, she immediately encouraged me to visit Furnish Hope in Oregon, a nonprofit carrying out a similar mission. A dear friend of mine had recently joined their team, so it felt like a natural connection.

Soon after, I reached out to Ron Van De Pol of Van De Pol Enterprises and Bill Stoermer of True Value—two of the first people I turned to for professional advice. Their honesty, generosity, and willingness to speak truth (even when it stings!) have been a gift. They not only encouraged me, they flew me to Oregon that October, where I spent three days immersed in the work of Furnish Hope—organizing furniture, supporting deliveries, and witnessing the joy of recipients firsthand. That experience deeply affirmed the vision I had been carrying in my heart.

Throughout this journey, Christian Gilbert, Chief Strategy Officer of the Family Resource Center—and a longtime friend—has been my calm in the chaos. When I feel stuck or overwhelmed, she grounds me with clear, doable next steps. In January, she encouraged me to reach out to Laura Strombom of All About Numbers for help with obtaining my EIN. It was serendipity—Laura was already on my list! She graciously met with me on Zoom, listened to my heart, and understood the vision. She offered to walk with me through the paperwork, which led to receiving our official 501(c)(3) status in January 2025.

In February, I connected with Greg and Peg Helland of BleuPelikan, Inc. Not only did they offer to donate the first three years of hosting and domain registration, but Greg also began building our website. Every time we meet, I leave feeling supported not just professionally, but personally—with honest conversations that check in on my wellbeing as a founder and human.

I can hardly express the joy and gratitude I feel for this growing circle of support. These incredible individuals believe in the mission—and they believe in me. I’m deeply honored and humbled that they’ve invested their time, talents, resources, and hearts into Renewed Furnishing.

A huge THANK YOU to these people! Their support reminds me that I’m not walking this road alone.