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About T.E.A.

T.E.A. was the brainchild of Amy Peterson and Diana Roginson. Amy formerly lived next to a housing shelter in Detroit. Over time she saw various women come and leave the shelter and struck up conversations with them and their families. These conversations led Amy to wonder how she could best help them to escape the poverty she saw daily. These conversations resulted in the creation of the social enterprise, Rebel Nell. Rebel Nell is now a major jewelry retailer and has been featured on NBC News and the Today Show, has brick and mortar stores in Detroit, and Novi, and helped dozens of women escape poverty.

As Rebel Nell grew, the founders realized that the natural focus became the jewelry, as that was Rebel Nell’s source of revenue and pathway for the women to sustain themselves financially. This growth created the struggle of balancing sales and mission. Seeing the community need was too high for Rebel Nell to address alone and noting the benefits of direct financial support, resume coaching, and financial planning for Rebel Nell designers; Amy and Diana brainstormed more sustainable ways to provide resources, education, coaching, and additional support beyond what was possible with a Rebel Nell job alone. Thus, on May 2, 2016, T.E.A. (Teach. Empower. Achieve.) was formed.

Our Mission

T.E.A. (Teach. Empower. Achieve.) is a 501c3 workforce development organization that serves as a partner for people, primarily women, facing barriers to employment and aims to be a driver of equitable change. T.E.A. works in close collaboration with existing businesses to identify employment needs and job development solutions that support and provide resources for participants' pathways towards self-sufficiency.

T.E.A. (Teach. Empower. Achieve.) is uniquely positioned to especially assist Detroit’s continuum of care for women who are facing the trilemma of unemployment, housing insecurity, and domestic violence and provides support to these women and families to help eliminate barriers to employment and bridge the gap by empowering unhoused women to better take control of their lives and achieve self-sufficiency.

Now a standalone organization, T.E.A. seeks to fulfill the original mission that prompted the creation of Rebel Nell by taking the lessons learned in its development and implementing its programming success by working with other employers and community partners to expand employment and opportunities for women.

Proven Programming

T.E.A. supplements the programming of existing nonprofits and employer partners by using trusted, social-work inspired best practices to deliver wraparound programs and hands-on support for housing, transportation, legal assistance, career planning, and other foundational needs to help women transition to full-time, permanent jobs and more self-reliant, sustaining joyful lives.

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To Date,T.E.A. Has

Served 31 women who have experienced homelessness, returning citizens and/or refugees.
Helped 100% of participants transition out of shelter living.
In relationship with our workforce development partners, assisted 28 women in securing traditional employment.
Facilitated over $420,000 in wages, an average increase of $2,450 per month/per participant.

Provided mentorship and seed funds to four participants as they worked to start their own businesses.
Distributed over $26,000 in micro-loans, with an incredible 92% payback rate.
Offered indirect support to 20+ children of T.E.A. participants via tutoring, school supply drives, meals and other activities and connections to support their well-being.

Workforce Development

T.E.A. supports the social and sustainable business community, allowing businesses to focus on their growth thus creating more workforce opportunities
in the future, ultimately leading to a more equitable change in our community.

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