Cutting Roses at Work

  My Cup of Tea Mission:

Our mission is to walk with women beyond the boundaries of poverty and
neglect and assist them in building stable lives. We transform lives by providing
meaningful employment packaging and selling tea, nurturing cross-cultural,
trusting relationships, fostering respect and understanding, and prioritizing and
demonstrating authentic community with the women we serve and our
neighbors in Orange Mound.

Succinct mission statements are understandably necessary for a nonprofit mission such as ours, but required brevity belies the breadth and depth of our work.

When our son was in the first grade, he was asked to share with his classmates what his dad does for a living. He confidently reported,

“My Daddy cuts roses at work and brings them home to Mom."

His dad’s other job was owning and directing a paving company that built and maintained interstate highways.   

I recently realized that many who are connected to My Cup of Tea aren’t fully aware of our daily activities and how we fulfill our mission. We do more than sell excellent tea. I have compiled a short list here, so that you may be more conversant about our daily ebb and flow and more alert to the fundamental dependence we have on the several hundred generous people who give time talent and treasure to us.

 Our Philosophy

The House is a laboratory in which we are intentionally loving Orange Mound women through invested word and deed. Daily for about 12 years, two disparate cultures have been conscientiously connecting. We have galvanized an authentic sisterhood of support, friendship, and trust.

Single parenting in poverty for a Black woman in a crime-ridden zip code is unfamiliar to us who are living North, East, and West beyond the crime tape and ubiquitous sirens that assault our senses when we are here.

Only God has brought us to this genuine reflection of His Kingdom we call The House in Orange Mound where what we have in common in heart has replaced our shallow differences.

 Our Daily Activity

• We work exclusively with women who live in poverty in Orange Mound. Almost all are single parenting children and/or grandchildren.
• We do not recruit as women in need find us or hear through word of mouth that our door is open and the welcome mat is out.
• We daily intend to model and guide each woman to a deeper understanding of the Gospel. All are currently unchurched and inexperienced in the riches of the Bible.
• Most of our employees receive government assistance. We are committed to reduce that percentage.
• Cooking, gardening, cleaning, and other domestic activity is demonstrated, shared, and assigned.
• Respectful social communication and problem solving is constantly practiced.
• There is an emphasis on gaining a Christian world view, as most are underexposed to life beyond their primary and immediate priority of survival.
• All of the women have chosen mentors who are leveraging their broader network for solutions to problems and providing prayer, advice, and loyal friendship.
• We have hired over 100 women in the ten years we have been a business. Currently we have 11 employees.
• Over 50 volunteers work among us, bring lunch, and assist us in entrepreneurship training for the ladies who are growing in skills beyond their My Cup of Tea employment.
• We advocate for all of our women who are challenged significantly with sub-standard rentals, domestic violence, chronic poor health, legal and financial problems, and unreliable transportation.
• We have partnered to build 4 houses on our city block and provided financial and legal pathways for the ladies to qualify to purchase them.

Our Tea

• Our tea is top shelf, imported from the Far East and blended before it comes to us. 
• Our director is a tea master, and expert on all variables of the teas we import.
• Our marketing and development is in the capable hands of a genius.
• The ladies have simple but dignified jobs with minimal skill requirements to package and label it for sale.
• We sell our tea in all 50 states.
• Our tea is sold in 24 retail businesses locally and at The House.
• The Christmas Season is our busiest. Original and creative tea gifts are extremely popular and our top sellers.
• We were chosen as Google’s Tennessee Small Business of the Year.
• We operate our mission for the ladies on tea sales (40%) and the remaining 60% is based on grants and donations.

 We also grow roses and bring them home for ourselves.