Our Vision

The Matriarch Mission will one day evolve into a yearly grant program, providing educational and vocational opportunities to girls and women who have left or are at risk of incarceration. Not limited to one trade, but open to the many paths that can provide both income and dignity: woodworking, welding, mechanics, cosmetology, and beyond.

At its heart, the Mission is about education. As Ray Dalio wrote in Principles:

“Equal opportunity, which is one of the most fundamental human rights, requires equal educational opportunity, and educational opportunities are terribly unequal. The economic costs in the forms of crime and incarceration, as well as the social costs of not investing in improving these conditions, are immense.”

Why It Matters

Over the past four decades, the number of incarcerated women has risen at alarming rates — more than 585% in the U.S. alone since 1980. Women are imprisoned at faster rates than men, most often for nonviolent offenses rooted in poverty, trauma, and systemic inequities. More than 60% of women in U.S. state prisons are mothers, meaning incarceration devastates not only women themselves but also children, families, and entire communities.

Most incarcerated women share common threads: histories of domestic abuse, sexual violence, addiction, or mental health struggles. I share some of these same threads — and I know my story could have ended very differently. The only difference between me and the women I want to help was a set of choices I made, and a strength I still can’t fully explain. With only a few changes in circumstance, my own son could have been left without a mother.

The Matriarch Mission exists to break that cycle — creating access to education and vocational opportunities that offer stability, dignity, and a true second chance. Because when women are given the tools to rebuild, they don’t just change their own lives — they lift entire communities with them.

Building Toward It

Until the Matriarch Mission is fully launched, 10% of proceeds from every Matriarch Furniture Co. piece is set aside to build the first fund. Each purchase moves us closer to that goal. When you bring a handcrafted piece into your home, you’re not only choosing uniqueness and quality — you’re helping another girl or young woman carve out her future.

Looking Ahead

The Matriarch Mission will one day stand as proof that what’s broken can be rebuilt, what’s discarded can be reclaimed, and what feels impossible can be transformed into a life of beauty and purpose.

Together, we can make that future real — piece by piece.