{"id":95224,"date":"2025-07-26T22:54:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T22:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/95224\/"},"modified":"2025-07-26T22:54:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T22:54:11","slug":"made-in-tarrant-presbyterian-night-shelters-latest-social-enterprise-creates-furniture-jobs-revenue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/95224\/","title":{"rendered":"Made in Tarrant: Presbyterian Night Shelter\u2019s latest social enterprise creates furniture, jobs, revenue"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: Made in Tarrant is an occasional Q&A series on small businesses started in Tarrant County. Submit your business here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Woodworks by UpSpire<\/a> \u2014 the newest social enterprise launched by Presbyterian Night Shelter in Fort Worth \u2014 is off to a solid start.<\/p>\n

UpSpire, the shelter\u2019s social enterprise group founded in 2016, has combined staffing, litter abatement, janitorial services, landscaping and warehousing into business lines that today represent more than a third of the shelter\u2019s annual operating income.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In October, UpSpire added woodworking to their services, making more than 1,000 units of hardwood ash furniture for the apartments of people coming out of homelessness. Woodworks, the first of the social enterprises that teaches employees \u2014 75% have experienced homelessness or a significant barrier to self-sufficiency such as prison time \u2014 marketable skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Toby Owen, the shelter\u2019s executive director, and Jasper Clements, lead carpenter and de facto designer, sat down with reporter Scott Nishimura as Woodworks nears the completion of its first furniture order and prepares to fulfill others from nonprofits and restaurants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Contact information<\/strong><\/p>\n

Woodworks by UpSpire<\/p>\n

P.O. Box 132, Fort Worth, Texas 76113<\/p>\n

WoodworksbyUpSpire@journeyhome.org<\/p>\n

The interview has been edited for clarity and space.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scott Nishimura: <\/strong>Tell us about the relationship of Woodworks and UpSpire to the shelter.<\/p>\n

Toby Owen: <\/strong>The Presbyterian Night Shelter does three things: shelter, housing and employment. UpSpire is the employment wing of the Presbyterian Night Shelter. Our focus is to put people to work. And secondarily, it creates revenue for the organization.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>What was the impetus for Woodworks?<\/p>\n

Owen: <\/strong>Woodworks was developed a year ago. We were already going to have to buy furniture (for two housing properties). And it\u2019ll provide employees a skill they can use if they want to move on.<\/p>\n

Jasper Clements: <\/strong>We equipped the shop. We built a better product. And we employ guys. We saved money, we added something new to UpSpire.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>How many employees do UpSpire and Woodworks have? Are they part time, full time?<\/p>\n

Owen: <\/strong>We have about 225 people in UpSpire. The jobs are all full time with benefits. And it\u2019s not a transitional program. It\u2019s a once-you\u2019re-employed, you can stay as long as you want.<\/p>\n

Clements: <\/strong>We\u2019ve got 30 men down there (in Woodworks shop). I don\u2019t know if they can all be woodworkers, but we\u2019re teaching the skills. We\u2019re ready for the business. Anything somebody can come up with, we can build.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>What are the kinds of furniture in your first order?<\/p>\n

Clements: <\/strong>Coffee table, microwave bookshelf, love seat, entertainment center, headboard and bed, nightstand, dining room tables and chairs.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>Who\u2019s the potential customer?<\/p>\n

Owen: <\/strong>We are marketing to other nonprofits, other housing nonprofits, nonprofits that need office furniture. We have one nonprofit that\u2019s put us in a bid. The furniture is very good, sturdy. It\u2019ll last 100 years. We\u2019ve talked to a couple of restaurants.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>What other pieces can the shop build?<\/p>\n

Owen:<\/strong> We built a couple of tables for the Gladney Center<\/a>. Office furniture. Conference tables. They\u2019re going to build Adirondack chairs for front porches. We did 300 cutting boards last Christmas. We have two banks that I\u2019m hoping will use (the boards) for Christmas gifts.<\/p>\n

Clements:<\/strong> The spectrum\u2019s real broad. We\u2019ve learned how to stay on budget. There\u2019s a very minimal amount of waste.<\/p>\n

Owen: <\/strong>We want to build in a net profit margin. It\u2019s how we can grow the business.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>What is the Presbyterian Night Shelter\u2019s annual operating budget?<\/p>\n

Owen: <\/strong>$22 million.<\/p>\n

Nishimura: <\/strong>How much of that comes from the social enterprises?<\/p>\n

Owen: <\/strong>35% percent of our income. It\u2019s about a third, a third, a third, grants, private giving, UpSpire. It\u2019s great to have a diversified revenue base.<\/p>\n

Scott Nishimura is a senior editor for the Documenters program at the Fort Worth Report. Reach him at scott.nishimura@fortworthreport.org.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n

Republish This Story<\/p>\n

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