About Us

 

Our Values

We aim to have a C.H.A.I.R. available for every woman in crisis who needs a safe and dignified job. Our values are:

Communication - Active listening. Clear concise direction. Complete transparency.

Hospitality - Commitment to personal satisfaction among all served.

Advocacy - Passionate voice for the unheard. Creating social awareness and change.

Inclusive - Recognize human uniqueness and variability and design within it.

Respect - Affirm belonging. Lead with truth, honesty, empathy, and grace.

Vision Statement

We envision a community where every woman has the opportunity to earn a competitive wage through safe and dignified work. DEI Statement Diversity is a core value of Designed For Joy.  We want to ensure as an organization we respect and appreciate differences in age, gender, ethnicity, education, physical abilities, race, and religion among individuals. “Strength lies in differences, not similarities” so the importance of trust, equity and respect is essential to the impact of Designed For Joy.  We embrace diversity in the women we serve and want to establish a sense of belonging.  As part of that vision, we encourage cultural and self-awareness and aim to ensure there is transparency and accountability with our artisans, volunteers and leadership.  We want those engaged with Designed For Joy to demonstrate the positive impact diversity has to empower people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different.

A Competitive Wage

For us, a competitive wage means an income that gives women positive choices rather than making desperate decisions when trying to provide food for family, and paying rent.

Who We Help

The women who handcraft our products with us are those living at high risk for sex and labor trafficking and/or food and housing insecurities. We partner with long-running ministries or local NGOs serving women that may be coming out of trafficking, emergency situations, generational poverty, homelessness, rehab, or prison. We believe in a community approach. In this holistic care approach we take the vocational resource component while our professional partners do what they do best. We are a trauma informed workplace.

Our Hope

Our hope is for our artisans to find confidence in themselves, learn to trust community, and to grow in their faith while working with Designed For Joy. Our goal is for participants to leave DFJ with marketable skills and a solid job reference to succeed in the job market.

Statement of Faith

To glorify God and honor Jesus Christ; to share the Truth of God’s Word in a culturally relevant way; and to provide sustainable jobs to community members in lower income areas of the Triangle and to others located overseas.

Local and Global Products

Drawing from our rich history of international mission work and partnerships with creative co-ops abroad, we do feature a few product lines from outside of the US. These product lines support organizations doing similar work to us in empowering women and their economic futures.

The Grace Collective - New for 2025

Thank you to the founding members of The Grace Collective who are championing the vision and leadership of our new Executive Director, Grace Morris.

Jane and Will Hatcher, Chris Morris, Leanne Morris, Ally Morris, Cary Heise, Kristen Sydow, Abbi Tenaglia, Abigail Roush, Alison Edwards, Amanda Lamb, Amy Carroll, Amy Hill, Amelia Dressel, Andrea Amezcua, Angela Padgett, Beverly Dudley, Bianca Harris, Brenda Berg, Cameron Daniel, Candace Beverly, Caroline Stresemann, Catherine Robinson, Cathy Vogt, Cindy Poole Roberts, Cole Browne, Colleen Schmidt, Crystal Combs, Cynthia Sovich, Daria Harvey, Debby Hester, Donna Rhode, Dylan Inman, Elizabeth Hunter, Erica Heilmann, Heather Figueroa, James and Mary Ferguson, Jane L. Weatherly, Jeffrey Despain, Jennifer Whaley, Joy Vardis, Julie Beauvais, Karen Woomer, Kathi Prancan, Kathie Wilkinson, Kathleen Kenney, Kendal Furlong, Kim Richardson, Kim Robinson, Kim Whitley, Kristi Burch, Lauren Soloman, Leigh Ann Miller, Maggie Burch, Mary Ann Baldwin, MaryAnne Gangoy, Megan Dills, Melissa Buscher, Melissa Walker, Michael Thompson, Nadine and Paul Baccellieri, Paige Jacob, Pam Watson, Patricia Rushmore, Patty Geiger, Paula McChristian, Rachel Miller, Rachel Withers, Rhonda Riley, Sandra and Richard Gellar, Shelley Mobley, Sherika HiSmith, Stacey Shine, Stella Sydow, Stephen Gruver, Susan LaPerriere, Susan Malinowski, Suzanne Gifford, Tameka Douglas, Taralyn Farrell, Terri Cabot, The Dog House of Elliott, and Vanessa Guirguis

Founders Circle

Abbi Tenaglia, Danner Chambless, EdenAndOak..net, Jack Riley Lighting and Metal Works, Jeff & Melanie Freshour, Justin & Kristin Loy, Katie & Ahren Rittershaus, Kimberly Callahan, Kristen Bagwell,, Larry & Shana Falivena, Mr & Mrs Hodde, Marcelo & Heather Figueroa, Mary E. Barth, Matt & Leigh Ann Miller, Chris and Melissa Bell, MelissaSueBell..com, Scott & Holly Ladner,, Marriage Unbroken, Sherry Daniloff, SSK, The Dunsford Family, The Gores, The Kelley Family, The Miller Family, The Wishart Family, Toft Cottage Weavery

You can support our mission by shopping our locally handcrafted products here

Or you can donate to our mission to help women in crisis here