Where you put your money is important - to you and your community.
How It Works:
Our Giving Circle invites women in our local community to launch a $100,000 fundraising goal every 12 months. This is a service group for women wanting to make an impact with little time commitment and high influence.
Give personally or fundraise to support your pledge of $2,000.
$2,000 per person. $500 quarterly. $167 monthly. Just $42 a week.
Giving Circle members’ experience includes:
- Four quarterly voting meetings in the DFJ studio. These pitch meetings are fun and informative! You'll hear about projects we have in mind and decide how funds are spent.
- We'll report on our quarterly spending
- You'll receive our quarterly stakeholder newsletter
- You'll be part of a community of women invested in changing the lives of trafficking survivors, single mothers under the poverty line, women experiencing homelessness, and support fair chance work for those with previous justice involvement
- Opportunities for leadership roles including chair committees
- No additional volunteer or giving requirement
To date, we’ve had 44 members and have fundraised $69,435 since April 2023. We have voted to fund over 15 projects.
As time goes forward, needs for the studio and our women will change. This group decides how to spend its collective funds to make a tangible difference for our women!
We meet at 6:30pm at our Studio, 517 W Cabarrus St., Raleigh. There is also a virtual option. It is not required to attend each meeting.
2025 Meeting dates: April 22, September 16, November 18, February 3, 2026
Guidelines and Procedures:
- All leadership positions and members have support of Grace Morris, Executive Director, and Kristen Sydow, Director of Programs.
- Each vote is on the funds raised in that quarter.
- In the case that a need is met by our community after the Giving Circle has voted on that item, members approve funds to be given to the item receiving the second most votes.
- Events are held in person to create and foster community, though we welcome virtual joiners as well.
- Make sure to check with employer to explore company match options.
- Rolling memberships with a 12-month commitment.
Ready to join us?
Join Here!
1. Your membership start with completing the form below. (You are not required to attend a meeting to start your membership.)
2. Start your giving by making your first donation or creating a peer to peer fundraising page here.
Voting History: Here are some of the incredible projects the Giving Circle has funded!
February 2025 - Votable Funds: $7,111
Continuing our trend, we combined items from three pitches to fund:
- Production Coordinator Apprentice ($4,400) – 12 weeks at $18.50/hr for 20 hrs/week. With a waitlist of 20 women, this role expands our impact by employing another woman in leadership.
- "Coming Home" Case Management App ($1,200) – Created by a trafficking survivor, this app ensures ongoing support and access to resources, even if a woman’s phone number changes.
- One-Month GoRaleigh Bus Passes ($960) – At $80 each, these passes will now be included in our graduation package to ease transportation costs.
- Closure Cover Fund ($550) – Helps cover pay during weather and holiday studio closures.
November 2024 - votable funds $12,346
The Giving Circle was presented with a wish list of 14 items (items we voted to fund are bolded):
- a projector/screen
- an audio solution for digital meetings
- cost of living increase to go into effect one pay period early
- cover the increased cost for a new donor management platform
- a plumber to fix bits & bobs around the studio*
- a mailer component for our year-end fundraising campaign
- 6 new workspaces (desks & organizers) for expanding staff
- chairs for the new workspaces*
- all-staff holiday party
- a “celebrations” fund (cakes & cards for birthdays, babies, weddings, sobriety chips, and any other wins!)*
- a welcome experience for our primary job program
- a lunch fund to ensure we always have food for Monday & Wednesday lunches
- new kitchen chairs (18)*
- new production chairs (10)*
We funded 7 items and collaborated to find solutions for 5 more (noted with an asterisk).
September 2024 - votable funds $10,050
Instead of choosing just one pitch, we collaborated as a group to piece together funding for as many ideas as possible. We put $4K toward artisan pay so we could offer an organizational rest week between Christmas and New Year’s, which previously has been unpaid time off. We also voted to buy a soundproof office pod so there would be quiet, safe space to have private conversations in the studio. This will be used in the future by our case manager. The remainder of our funds were applied to the purchase of three new laptops to be used by new staff.
April 2024 - votable funds $6,300
We voted to cover wages so we could hire an additional woman through the summer months. This provided employment beyond what our annual budget allowed for. We created space for a woman to have secured work for 15 weeks, using our die-cut machine and cut stacks of leather. Her role made our production process more efficient, and provided additional bags for us to sell in our two locations.
February 2024 - votable funds $11,931
The Designed For Joy Studio offers a food pantry and laundry facilities, but we wanted to do more to provide dignified solutions. To support this effort, the Giving Circle voted to fund a SHOWER! Over half of the women we support face homelessness, often unsure of when or where they’ll find their next opportunity to shower. With a shower in our space, we can offer them a place to feel safe, clean, and valued.
November 2024 - votable funds $10,413
We had the opportunity to sign an 8-month lease to be a part of the North Hills Innovation District. Between the Giving Circle’s contributions and a grant from AJ Fletcher, we were able to cover rent, payroll, and packaging for an additional location. This experience expanded our sales, donor base, and volunteer pool, and allowed us to create a NEW program: career readiness! This program offers retail management training and upon completion, graduates receive a management certificate.
September 2023 - votable funds $10,260
We funded a Holiday Package that included a surprise holiday bonus for our artisans, a holiday party for artisans and staff (and their plus ones!), as well as tech necessities to get us through the holiday markets: card readers, iPads, and laptops.
April 2023 - votable funds $8,135
Supported 1,200 hours of work with the purchase of leather for a large wholesale order for Home Shopping Network (HSN) and a new commercial-grade sewing machine, providing permanent work for a fourth sewist. Covering the raw materials meant creating immediate employment opportunities.
Designed For Joy Founding Giving Circle members
Melanie Freshour, Shanon Baggett, Bernette Stivers, Malinda Stevenson, Cari Combs, Ruth Payne, Rachel Withers, Erin Treece, Tomiko Lane, Terri Cabot, Shana Overdorf, Taralyn Farrell, Abigail Roush, Stephanie Akerman, Alison Edwards, Beverly Dudley, Cathy Vogt, Kathi Prancan, Cristina Butler. Yvonne Veach, Melissa Buscher, Sabina Beri, April Blanks
Join Here!
1. Your membership start with completing the form below. (You are not required to attend a meeting to start your membership.)
2. Start your giving by making your first donation or creating a peer to peer fundraising page here.
Email us here with questions on the Designed For Joy Giving Circle or volunteering.
