A Day in the Life at the House in Orange Mound
Each day, the women of the House wake up, come to work, and enjoy a day filled with learning, opportunity, and growth. Whether it’s an engaging workshop, a gardening adventure,, or a customer popping in for their first visit, a day in the life at the House in Orange Mound is another opportunity to build the the tools necessary to thrive in all facets of life—financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In this blog, we’ll walk through what the House is, the daily activities that happen in the House, and an inside look at our tea shop!
What is the House?
As the oldest African American community in America, Orange Mound is the perfect place for the House to live. It serves as an office, packaging hub, retail store, and a place of refuge for the women who currently and have previously worked there. The House is more than just a house, however, it’s a place that provides these women with the skills and tools they need to thrive financially, physically, mentally, emotional, and spiritually. Located on the corner of Semmes and Carnes, the refurbished Victorian-style House sits in the heart of the Orange Mound community, much like it sits in the hearts of its residents. This quote from Cheryl encompasses the house:
I love finding beauty in being in the house daily and having the opportunity to bring joy to one of the ladies who may not be having a good day.
A Day in the Life at the House
The women who walk through our doors are looking for more than just a job-they’re looking to become self-sufficient and prosperous, but they also want authentic relationships and a safe, judgment-free environment. We offer many opportunities to learn new skills and improve on existing talents such as sewing & embroidery, furniture restoring, and gardening. But we also establish a sense of community and belonging.
Morning Meeting
A morning meeting is not unique to My Cup of Tea. Many businesses gather employees to review the day’s tasks. We do the same, but we also do a daily “temperature check” to learn what obstacles, disappointments, and victories the ladies experienced since they left the House the day before. We celebrate the wins, offer help when we can, then we pray together to start the day.
Filling Orders
Every morning, we fill the orders from customers who have purchased from our online store after hours. As our inventory sells, the ladies build our tea boxes by hand, weigh and bag the high-quality tea, seal the packages, and restock the shelves. Most orders are filled within 24 hours. Because we sell many gift packages, some of the ladies wrap the items and adorn them with perfectly tied ribbons. If an order needs to be shipped, every box includes a hand-written thank you note from one of the My Cup of Tea women.
Lunch Together Everyday
Every day, the My Cup of Tea women enjoy lunch together around the long, wooden table in the meeting room. The lunches are prepared by volunteers and are provided at no cost to the ladies. Eating a meal together daily prevents anyone from leaving hungry and promotes authentic relationships as they learn more about each other. In the ten years, My Cup of Tea has existed, approximately 25,000 meals have been served.
Learning Together
As the saying goes, “You learn something new everyday,” and at My Cup of Tea there are often planned learning experiences. Some days, “soft skills” are taught to women interested in one of the available jobs. Financial literacy is a course reviewed regularly to help the women budget, save, improve their credit scores, and move closer to homeownership. The Japanese art of Kintsugi has served as a means of both expanding cultural awareness and processing trauma. Impromptu lessons on cooking, minor home repairs, or etiquette, to name a few, happen frequently at the House.
Daily Activities at the House
Sewing & Embroidery
God has opened up a safe haven for myself and others, providing a place to enjoy life instead of being at home. - Deborah Chalmers
Furniture Refurbishing & Restoring
Have a chair in need of reupholstering or a wood furniture piece that needs sanding? You can often find L. Cool refurbishing beautiful furniture pieces at the house. L. Cool has perfected her craft and learned to identify antiques with the help of a dedicated volunteer with the expertise to teach her. If you have a project in mind, contact us! L’Cool is always looking for projects to work on.
Gardening
Orange Mound doesn’t have a full-scale grocery store, and many of the residents do not have the transportation necessary to access fresh produce. At the House, we grow vegetables to help combat food insecurities in our neighborhood. Each woman who wants a garden has her own box that she tends to and is responsible for taking care of. In addition to fresh vegetables, the women also tend to the flowerbeds and landscaping around the house. A greenhouse was just erected in the parking area adjacent to our gardens with a plan to grow more vegetables and share with our neighbors.
The Tea Shop
Perhaps what the House is best known for is our in-house packaged teas, which are sold right inside the House in Orange Mound.
Where Do Our Customers Come From?
As of April 2024, our tea has officially reached all 50 United States and the District of Columbia! Whether they found us on Google, through Instagram, or through one of the local Memphis businesses who sell our teas, one of our favorite activities is giving new customers a tour of the House. The women also love when returning customers stop in to restock and share updates about their lives. If you’re in the Memphis area, stop in for a tour, grab a few boxes of tea, and get your photo taken!
Our Recipes
When the women of the House aren’t participating in our other activities or helping customers find their perfect sip they’re experimenting with recipes - all made with our tea! We’ve created everything from spooky mocktails and delightful sips using fresh grown herbs to sweet tea bbq chicken and pumpkin chai lattes. Have a recipe you really love or have always wanted to try? Send us a message on Instagram - maybe we’ll try it ourselves!!
Afternoon Tea
In addition to a packing hub and retail store, we also host afternoon tea on weekends at the House! Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, hosting a baby or bridal shower, or just want to have a structured get together with friends in the Memphis area, you’ll have a fantastic time at an afternoon tea party! This party includes traditional tea sandwiches, savory bites, and dainty desserts along with your choice of two premium teas from our shop. Your event will be complete with beautiful fresh flowers, and authentic silver trays and utensils. For the little ones, we also offer 12 and under Princess Tea Parties!
Visit My Cup of Tea
At the House in Orange Mound, every day is a celebration of growth, resilience, and creativity. Through sewing and embroidery, furniture refurbishing, gardening, and myriad workshops, the women here weave stories of transformation and renewal. As our packaged teas travel across the nation,, they carry with them the spirit of community and empowerment fostered within these walls. Whether you're stopping by for a tour, sampling our tea of the day and shortbread,, or joining us for an elegant afternoon tea party, you're not just supporting a business—you're becoming part of a movement, and we’d love to have you.
My Cup of Tea is a non-profit in Memphis, TN that serves as an office, packing hub, retail store, and place of refuge for the women of Orange Mound. Our mission is to provide women in our community with the tools they need to thrive. We import the highest quality tea from tea estates and gardens in the Far East where they are weighed, re-formatted, and packaged for sale by the women who work here. Your purchase of our teas or other products opens a pathway for positive change and upward mobility for the courageous women who create them. Learn more about our story here.