A Mother’s Day collaboration to empower survivors
In January of this year, two Invested Faith Fellows connected at the Fellows Gathering in wintery St. Louis, MO. This spring, that connection bloomed into a unique partnership and collaboration that both honors mothers and empowers women survivors. Jen Owens is the founder and executive director of Forai (Friends of Refugees and Immigrants) where refugee women create artisan jewelry to support their families. Kit Evans-Ford is the founder and executive director of Argrow’s House, an organization devoted to empowering survivors of domestic abuse. “I remember [Invested Faith Founder] Pastor Amy looking at each of us and saying, ‘You two need to meet!’ We both work with women from marginalized populations that are doing their best to take care of themselves and their families,” said Kit.
Mother’s Day Box from Forai
The two women realized how closely their missions aligned and began to think about collaboration. Kit first purchased a sample of Forai jewelry to stock in the Argrow’s House retail store and the partnership began to grow. “When the Forai team began to plan for Mother’s Day, we wanted to promote a product made by the refugee women who are part of Forai’s artisan team, but also create added appeal for our customers and introduce them to other organizations working with survivors and providing dignified work. Argrow's House was the most natural fit! The hardest part was narrowing down which Argrow's House product to include! Handmade soap? Body lotion? Which scent? Kit also connected us with Thistle Farms to create a trio of products, made by survivors, empowering survivors.” said Jen.
Argrow’s House Hope Box
The Argrow’s House team also relished the connection and created a box of their own that included Forai artisan jewelry. “It has been great getting to know Jen and the Forai team. What a delight to collaborate and share each other's missions and good work on each other's platforms. Invested Faith made this collaboration happen and planted the seeds for a long-lasting sisterhood. We are grateful!” said Kit.
About Forai: Located in South City, St. Louis, Missouri, Forai (Friends of Refugees and Immigrants) provides home-based and in-workshop incomes for refugee women who can’t work outside the home because of a barrier such as childcare needs or caring for another family member. Forai offers artisan made jewelry and crafts to the St. Louis community. Find their jewelry and crafts online here.
About Argrow’s House: Located in Davenport, Iowa, Argrow’s House is a safe space where free services are offered daily for women healing from violence in the greater Quad Cities area. Named after Dr. Evans-Ford's mother who was a survivor of domestic violence, this successful social enterprise provides women the opportunity to earn a living wage by creating bath and body products in a safe space that celebrates who they are. Find their bath and body products online here.
