Transforming houses into homes

MSUM Foundation 2026 Dragon Impact Award winner and alumna Jenessa Fillipi is helping break the cycle of homelessness one family at a time through her nonprofit organization, Down Home.

Jenessa graduated from Minnesota State Moorhead in 2003, earning her undergraduate in secondary education. In 2007, she became a "double Dragon," earning a master's in counseling from Moorhead. After graduate school, she became a counselor at local elementary schools.

In her time at Moorhead, Jenessa learned that you get as much out of school as you put into it. She says her master's program at Moorhead was her springboard, giving her the confidence she needed to jump into the world of education.

"That was when I really started to see the disparity in the community. There were children coming to school that were not well rested, struggling to learn academically, and struggling to manage their emotions."

She noticed that there were families coming out of homelessness who only had the bare necessities to get by. Down Home's mission is to fill that gap and empower lives and stabilize those emerging from homelessness by furnishing homes, strengthening connections, and transforming communities.

Down Home was officially created in 2017 by Jenessa, her husband, Jake, also an Moorhead alumnus, and mother, Charlene Kuznia.

"I volunteered my time running Down Home until June 2021, and that's when I decided to leave the comfort of my job as a school counselor. It was scary at first, but you just know in those moments in life there is a time where you need to lead with faith even though we're not able to see the outcome."

Down Home is a completely donor-funded organization. It works with families coming out of homelessness to furnish their homes. After clients apply, the Down Home team visits their homes and gets a sense of what the family interests are and what they need. The team then goes back to its warehouse and coordinates around 300 donated items to transform empty spaces into personalized and dignified homes.

After finishing a family's home, Jenessa says they become part of the Down Home family. The Down Home team sends the families birthday baskets, hosts Christmas parties, and offers additional support.

"I want people to know the importance of Down Home and other nonprofits in our community, and that together, truly, we are better."

Jenessa represents this message by speaking at numerous influential events with her signature talk, “Positioned with Purpose: For Such a Time as This.” Her story has reached professionals, educators, and faith-based audiences across the Midwest.

In addition to her work with Down Home, Jenessa continues to serve and lead through board positions that extend the mission of community transformation. She serves on the board of Centre and the national board of American Mothers Inc.®.

After leading the progressive growth of Down Home for seven years, Jenessa was honored with the title 2024 National Mother of the Year® by American Mothers Inc.® at their 89th National Convention.

"This award is one of those moments that I was humbled yet really emboldened to keep pushing the envelope for Down Home and rally for the gifts of family, freedoms in our nation, and community, which aligns with the mission of American Mothers Inc.®"

When asked what motivates her most, Jenessa said, "My family is my priority, so I want them to learn from me how to balance work and life. I don't need an award to feel rewarded for the work I do, and I want my children to see that."

Along with her many achievements, Jenessa has been awarded the MSUM Foundation 2026 Dragon Impact Award, recognizing her leadership in community impact, motherhood, and mission-driven service.


Her time at Moorhead gave her a deep appreciation for community connections. While Down Home thrives, she recognizes its impact can be even greater with community support, nonprofit partnerships, and sustainable growth.