Help Navy Veteran Joe Furr Find Stability, Dignity, and Purpose

Hi, my name is Adrienne Eichner, and I’m organizing this fundraiser for my dear friend Joseph “Joe” Furr — an 82-year-old Navy veteran, former Belk employee, and lifelong member of the Charlottesville, VA community.

Joe proudly served his country and later worked at Belk for over a decade in the China and Men’s Wear departments, where he was beloved by customers and coworkers alike. Unfortunately, despite his years of dedication, Joe was never paid enough to retire comfortably. He now faces serious challenges — no savings, no retirement income, and limited family support.

Joe’s Current Situation

After a bad fall injured his back, Joe could no longer work. His health has declined, and he now suffers from dementia. He lost his apartment when the complex transitioned to month-to-month leases and forced tenants out for renovations. The county approved this plan without offering relocation help — leaving Joe in a desperate spot.

Albemarle County Social Services visit with Joseph Furr: https://youtu.be/fxtzuUvu84I

For now, Joe is temporarily housed in a difficult and unstable situation. He’s temporarily housed, but it's unstable. The VA housed him in a hotel for 60 days, but each week they told him they may not renew his stay. So, after 8 times, they refused to renew. According to Mark Warner's office, this is against the VA's rules and regulations and Joe needs to sign a release for them to investigate. This instability is taking a serious toll on his health and peace of mind. Please help him with housing himself in a permanent place. He's too "high functioning" according to APS to allow him a waiver for assisted living.

Joe also lost his beloved cat when he lost his home — the separation has been heartbreaking.

How I Know Joe

I’ve known Joe for over 23 years. When I ran my photo studio at The Shops at Stonefield, Joe used to visit and say,

“I don’t want to kill myself, can I sit and stay a while?”

I always said yes. Joe often told me,

“You’ve saved my life many times over the years.”

Joe has PTSD from his Navy service and a history of childhood trauma, yet he remains kind, funny, and full of heart. He’s like an uncle to me — someone I deeply love and respect.

Why This Fundraiser Matters

Joe’s biggest wish is to stay independent and to help others. He doesn’t want to go into assisted living — he wants to live with dignity and purpose. Together, Joe and I have been planning a pet-friendly shelter called The Pepper Center, we have another GoFundMe for The Pepper Center — a safe place for people and their pets to stay together during hard times.

This fundraiser will first help stabilize Joe’s life, and then help us take steps toward building that shelter.

How Funds Will Be Used

Every dollar will directly support Joe’s immediate and long-term needs:

Safe, stable housing — to prevent Joe from being displaced again.

Food, clothing, shoes, and basic necessities.

A reliable used car to maintain independence.

Medical and memory-care costs not covered by VA or Medicaid.

Art and printing supplies so Joe can sell his artwork to raise funds.

Accounting support once donations reach the point that professional help is needed.

I will personally manage the funds until we can hire a certified accountant.

Every purchase and receipt will be posted for transparency.

If donations allow, we also hope to help another veteran — R.A.E., a friend of Joe’s who’s been living in his car for over four years — and continue building The Pepper Center, our nonprofit project for people with pets in crisis.

Joe’s Dream

Joe’s dream is simple: to live safely, regain stability, and help others do the same. Supporting Joe now not only saves his life — it helps lay the groundwork for a shelter that can change many more lives.

Every donation, share, and kind word truly makes a difference.

Thank you for caring about Joe.

— Adrienne Eichner