Empowering Survivors, One Piece at a Time: Mend on the Move’s Mission to Heal and Inspire
Mend on the Move has recently set a $5,000 fundraising goal on their SHARE Detroit profile! Samantha Seelhoff, Mend on the Move’s Executive Director, told us a little bit more about the organization to help our readers determine if this is a cause they want to support (hint: we think it is!).
Joanne Ewald founded Mend on the Move in 2015 with a mission to help women who have experienced abuse heal through art while also offering an opportunity for employment. Women employed by Mend on the Move make jewelry from salvaged auto parts. Not only do they create beautiful products for the public to purchase, but they do so in an environment that connects them to other survivors and much needed resources.
This unique blend of empowerment and environmental sustainability has had a profound impact on over 60 women who have been helped by Mend on the Move while coping with domestic violence, sexual assault, emotional abuse, and childhood trauma. Seelhoff described that impact as such: “Jewelry-making is a beautiful form of therapeutic art. Engaging your hands and mind in creation while connecting with like-minded individuals fosters a profound sense of peace, comfort, and pride. When their creations are cherished by others, it instills a powerful sense of accomplishment and purpose.”
Ewald had a personal connection to jewelry-making and abuse that inspired her to start Mend on the Move. “For Joanne,” Seelhoff explained, “making jewelry became a soothing and introspective journey that supported her recovery as a survivor of childhood abuse. She discovered joy in transforming old, discarded items into something beautiful, foreshadowing the mission of her organization.”
In addition to providing employment, Mend on the Move has established a social safety net for survivors of abuse. They run a support group called “Sister Circle” where women are able to discuss their “growth, triggers, coping skills, and shared experiences to offer mutual support.” This group has grown to an annual healing retreat that gives extra opportunities to care for oneself in the presence of others. In previous years, the retreat has featured ceramic classes, sound therapy, and time spent in nature.
Survivors involved with Mend on the Move programs are also able to meet a Human Services worker for more personalized emotional and logistical support. Mend on the Move further runs a relief fund so they can administer financial assistance to women for a variety of expenses associated with reestablishing their lives after abuse. These expenses range from legal fees to moving costs to education.
Mend on the Move changes lives every single day. When asked about a survivor whose life had been transformed by Mend on the Move, Seelhoff recounted, “Just over two years ago, a woman came to our program after a traumatic relationship and life-changing circumstances. She faced the heavy burden of PTSD from experiences of domestic violence, and we understand how difficult that can be. At Mend on the Move, we provided her with a safe and supportive community, as well as a job when she felt lost and uncertain about returning to work. Through our program, she found the courage to rebuild her confidence, connect with a therapist, and discover her inner strength.”
But this story did not end with one woman moving on from the program to individual success. The woman in this story now serves as the Human Services Coordinator at Mend on the Move, where she leads support groups, works with women one-on-one, and organizes the yearly retreat. She acts as a leader for other women who are in a position she herself knows well, the same way Ewald used what she learned about healing during her own journey to found Mend on the Move.
Mend on the Move replaces the cycle of abuse with one of restoration, turning car parts into jewelry and turning survivors into mentors.
Seelhoff let us know that Mend on the Move’s current fundraising goal is to support new women employed in their work program. Like all SHARE Detroit’s partners, Mend on the Move relies on community and corporate support to continue their mission. Because of this, they are thankful for SHARE’s platform that allows philanthropically minded individuals like the readers of this blog to directly support their organization on their profile!