Press Release | Designed For Joy Celebrates Six-Year Anniversary with Visit Raleigh

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug., 1, 2023 —  Designed For Joy will host an open house celebrating its sixth anniversary at its W. Cabarrus Street location on Thursday, August 24, from 5:00-8:00 pm, and is excited to co-host the festivities with Visit Raleigh. The traditional sixth anniversary present is an iron gift representing the strength of your relationship. If that's the case, the women in this organization reflect a true iron will, dedicated to making a difference and changing lives, and they're just getting started. 

Their compassionate care and understanding perspectives create a culture of acceptance for the women who seek their help and come from backgrounds that many find difficult to understand. "Designed For Joy created a wealth of affirmation and love that watered a seed of hope within me," explained Designed For Joy Artisan Rhiannon. "The transformation I've experienced over this past year has been positively overwhelming, and it all began with an open door and an "I love you."

 

Enlightened Growth

In its short history, Designed For Joy experienced phenomenal growth and garnered respect and support from many community partners. Designed For Joy has helped 122 women, provided an impressive $400,000 in living wages to women in crisis, and now has over 400 volunteers. Its recent relocation to a 5,000-square-foot warehouse in downtown Raleigh provides the capacity to help even more women. 

 

Against The Odds

The artisans employed by Designed For Joy are emerging from traumatic and life-altering situations, such as human trafficking, substance abuse, incarceration, and religious persecution. Each woman served at Designed For Joy is far from just a number, but numbers help share their unique stories:

• 64% are experiencing homelessness or living in a shelter

• 20% have various mental or physical disabilities

• 68% also provide for children

• 55% are single moms

To date, and despite their daily uphill struggles, 94% of the artisans successfully completed the program, with 64% securing full-time work and 30% going on to part-time work.

Designed For Joy believes in paying living wages to prevent artisans from falling back into poverty and help cover basic necessities, such as food and shelter. "I'm happy to share that we were able to provide our artisans with a raise. The 21 women helped so far this year earned $16.00 an hour," said Cairy Heise, Designed For Joy Executive Director and Founder. Most of the women who complete the Designed For Joy program have found full-time, safe, and dignified work. They have moved into permanent housing, purchased cars, and regained their self-worth. 

 

Open House Event

The celebrations will take place from 5:00-8:00 pm at the Designed For Joy warehouse and boutique located at 517 W. Cabarrus St., Suite A, in Raleigh. Join us to hear special remarks and take part in a champagne toast at 7:00 pm. A nonalcoholic option will be available. Sip on drinks from Red, White, Bubbly & Brew and nosh on delectables from the delicious charcuterie table catered by Graze Charcuterie. "The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) is proud to collaborate with Designed For Joy. It is with pride that we gift their products at trade shows and client events as it allows us to share the story of a Wake County organization in the heart of the city that bolsters dignity, respect and empowerment to the women of Designed For Joy. Meetings, conventions and events change lives by creating jobs and opportunities. Sharing Designed For Joy products fuels Visit Raleigh's goal of inclusivity, opportunity and growth as a catalyst for economic development within our community," explained Dennis Edwards, President and CEO of Visit Raleigh. 

Be sure to make it to this special occasion and support our mission to provide stability for women in crisis through immediate employment and support. 

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About Designed For Joy

Designed For Joy provides women in crisis with stability through immediate employment and support, removing the stigma of vulnerability. 

The women who create our brand 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. We provide the vocational resource component in this holistic care approach while our professional partners do what they do best.

 

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