Designed For Joy — a Raleigh-based nonprofit that helps women coming from vulnerable situations gain work experience — is opening a new location at 517 W. Cabarrus St. in Downtown. The grand opening will be Fri., Aug. 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The current retail shop — near Union Special — will remain open through December.
Designed For Joy pays women coming from difficult situations a living wage to create handmade goods to be sold in the retail store (such as earrings, purses + charcuterie boards). Since its founding, the nonprofit has provided 52 artisans with safe work + supplied $140,000 in living wages.
Yesterday, RALtoday got a behind-the-scenes look at the new ~5,000 sqft space. The goods are made using locally-sourced wood, as well as sustainably sourced materials for bags + jewelry. The shop will also have meeting space for the community + serve meals for the women-in-need.
