In a little retail store and studio in Clearfork, customers shop for candles, clothing, jewelry and accessories with a higher purpose in mind.
The items for sale at The Worthy Co. are made by women who have survived trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. And every penny of profit goes back to supporting them.
Recognizing the challenges survivors face—such as criminal records, trauma, and addiction—The Worthy Co. offers more than just a job. It provides a safe, therapeutic environment where women can rebuild their lives.
“We observed women doing the incredibly hard work of healing from trauma but consistently struggling to secure dignified employment that provided a living wage,” said Melissa Ice, founder of The Net, an anti-trafficking organization that is the parent non-profit for the store. “True freedom requires economic independence. Many of the women we serve had their exploitation begin during adolescence, robbing them of opportunities to develop basic workplace skills that most of us learn in our first jobs.”
Since its 2018 launch by Melissa Ice and Sarah Bowden, The Worthy Co. has supported 21 employees and provided 18,000 hours of dignified employment. “We’re really proud of these numbers because each one represents a life being transformed,” Ice said.
Worthy Co. started out in a little renovated house on the Near Southside. Right now, production and manufacturing still take place there while the company operates a retail pop-up shop at The Shops at Clearfork.
ENJOY READING THE NEWS AGAIN
Discover refreshing, nonpartisan reporting on stories happening in your backyard.
Women working at The Worthy Co. develop workplace confidence, gain practical skills and experience a safe and supportive community. The organization’s enrichment program also supports personal and professional development. Participants engage in activities like trauma-informed yoga, nutrition classes, and reading survivor-led materials, fostering growth in all aspects of their lives.
Ice said her proudest moments are seeing team members recover and thrive, from the woman who was able to save enough salary to buy herself a car, to the artisan who worked her way up to a management position at the store and now works as a recovery-support specialist.
‘The joy of watching Mary save enough for her daughter’s braces and tell me, ‘I finally feel like a good mom,’ – the impact of that is hard to describe,’ Ice said.
The Worthy Co. chose JPMorganChase to be its bank because of its commitment to supporting social enterprises, Ice said.
“From the beginning, Chase understood our unique business model. Our bankers recognized that we weren’t just focused on bottom-line profitability, but on creating sustainable impact through business operations, and they offered financial solutions tailored to this dual mission,” she said.
“JPMorganChase also has been instrumental in our growth by actively advocating for our mission within the broader business community. They’ve promoted our products at local events and created meaningful connections with potential partners that might otherwise have been inaccessible to us,” Ice said. “These introductions have opened doors to exciting potential opportunities.”
The Worthy Co. has defied the steep odds facing most small businesses, especially during the extreme challenges of the pandemic lockdown.
“In the six years since it opened its doors, the impact of The Worthy Co. on the Fort Worth community has been profound,” said Angie Dinh, a business relationship manager at Chase. “It has provided survivors with pathways to independence while creating high-quality products that its customers love.”
Tired of shouting? Help us bring facts into focus.
There’s no shortage of opinions out there, but facts are harder to come by. At the Fort Worth Report, we deliver local reporting grounded in truth so that you can make informed decisions for yourself and your community.
Related
Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.
Republish This Story
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.