WHY: The collective was formed by case managers working in the recovery and criminal justice fields in East TN. We have experienced many of the same hardships as the folks we guide and support. We see the persistent gaps in services, the uncertainty of grant funding, and often a lack of genuine trauma-informed care in our workplaces. We wanted to provide an alternative, sustainable, and holistic model of support in our community that empowers us all and encourages the recovery of not only individuals, but society as a whole.

HOW: 25% of the profit made from item sales and paid mobile classes goes directly towards covering operational costs and supporting our mutual aid efforts, including direct support for those most in need in our community. 

Makers in our collective receive 75% of gross profit made from the classes they teach and the items they make and sell. We also assist our makers with acquiring the supplies to create, if needed!

We also partner with local providers to offer classes free of charge to our friends in local outpatient or residential recovery programs and sober living houses. Making can foster a state of mindfulness and is a healthy outlet for expressing and processing emotions. When a person creates something beautiful, useful, or both, they gain a sense of purpose and meaning. Confidence, sense of accomplishment, and self-esteem grows. Making can also create new financial opportunities. We encourage and support our our class participants in the same way we encourage and support our collective members, and apply the same maker culture emphasis on informal, peer-led learning through action.