Meet Emily Jorgensen of Grace Upon Grace Project in Northern Colorado

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Jorgensen.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Emily. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When we set out on this journey we call life I truly feel at the end of the day it is not about what we have accomplished or the money we have made. It is about how we have helped. It is about how we have lifted others up. It is about how we have helped others live with grace and dignity. I feel that we all have an innate purpose, mission, goal—whatever you want to call it–to make the world a better place. When I look around the world we live in there is so much beauty and love, but there is also heartache and pain. I knew I had to make this world a better place by following my purpose, which revolves around kindness, compassion, empathy, and GRACE.

I lived a great childhood. It was filled with more laughter & love than most, but I always have felt others pain, like truly felt their pain. It is like it sits on my heart like a ton of bricks, begging & pleading for me to do something about it. As I explored different volunteer options, each one came up short. ⠀⠀
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The universe knew that I needed something & it connected me with Big Bones Canine Rescue an amazing rescue in Windsor, Colorado. I LOVE helping dogs. I will never forget my first time being a part of a “freedom ride.” She was broken, but she still loved & was so gentle. As I experienced those feelings of giving back, I knew that was the universe sharing my innate purpose with me. ⠀⠀
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The universe gave me another glimpse of my purpose a few years later when Hurricane Harvey hit. I started a small diaper drive in my neighborhood and what started as a small diaper drive, turned in to something HUGE & it was AMAZING! My husband encouraged me to “go big or go home” so we named it “Fill the Truck Drive.” We were able to collect almost 11,000 diapers, 19,000 wipes, and 4,00 feminine products. We were able to use a shipping truck to send the items down to two organizations, who then distributed the products to individuals and families in need. It was one of the most amazing and eye opening experiences of my life and it was just the beginning of my purpose revealing itself to me.

Fast forward to 2018. Each year I choose a word to guide me through that year. For 2018 I chose the word grace, something we all need in our lives. Grace is all about giving kindness. As I learned more about giving grace and thought about the need in my community, I discovered my purpose. I was put here to start a non-profit—one which would provide under-served families and infants the basic necessities to live and grow with grace and dignity while addressing the roots of social inequities, but I was stuck. I wasn’t sure how to move forward or what to move forward with. So, I sat with this idea of grace and giving back to the community for some time, just waiting patiently.
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So it was the start of 2019. I was still struggling with my purpose. I was a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, but I was looking for something more. Six weeks after our son was born, I did a cruise around Greece. Not thinking I took a few period products for an emergency situation & few days before we headed home I started my period. With limited supplies and unsure and too embarrassed of where to buy things at different stops, I experienced this idea of rationing my period products. Well, I finally ran out the day we got on the plane to head home & I had a period that was not stopping just because I didn’t have any tampons. Planes were delayed and I was running through the airport—light colored yoga pants & the desperate need to change a tampon. I stood there in the airport terminal slowly breathing in and out, squeezing my legs together so tightly, my muscles were shaking. I was trying not to draw attention to myself, but it was too late. I knew I had leaked through my pants. I just kept thinking to myself–get to the plane, just get to the plane and you can figure it out there.

I finally made it to the plane, grabbed the extra pair of pants out of my carry on and quickly walked to the airplane bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and broke down. I had lost all of my dignity at that very moment. I was covered in sweat and was trying to clean myself up using 1 ply toilet paper–it didn’t work very well, but I made the best of it. As soon as I was able to get myself cleaned up and the tears stopped I created a makeshift pad out of paper towels. I left the bathroom and as I walked back to my seat I realized that for the next nine hours I would be relying on airplane bathroom paper towels until we landed and I could purchase more period products.

We landed in Newark New Jersey for the night. There wasn’t any shops open in the airport, so all I could do was hope that the hotel had some sort of store I could purchase period products at. We got to the hotel and my heart sunk when I realized there wasn’t a store. I mustered up the courage to ask the people behind the counter if there was a place I could by period products. They had some available to purchase, so I spent $40 dollars on period products to get me through the next 24 hours. Thankfully I was able to take a warm shower and put on clean clothes once I was in my room, but I started wondering about those women who didn’t have access to period products. What did they use? What was their life like? I began doing some research and learned about the term period poverty. Period poverty is defined as “the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand washing facilities, and, or, waste management.” It was that very moment that I discovered my purpose. The universe had to take me through this horribly embarrassing experience for me to truly understand what I was supposed to be doing. I had to create a service for women & families and provide the most basic necessities & help them without judgement.

That was just the beginning of my journey and thankfully I have a husband who encourages me to chase what sets my soul on fire and two of the most encouraging women to help bring my purpose to fruition. A few short months later, Grace Upon Grace Project was formed. Our mission is to provide under-served families and infants diapers, wipes, and period products to live and grow with grace and dignity while addressing the roots of social inequities.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I had lots of people tell me that my idea to start Grace Upon Grace Project was crazy. That it was going to be too hard. That it was going to be too much work. I think my favorite comment was —agh why would you want to do that—just give another non profit some money and move on. Those words of doubt stung. They shattered my vision, but I’m so thankful for those who shared my same vision and encouraged me to take the leap to start this non-profit!

As I moved forward with the process, collecting the donations were not an issue. The packages kept showing up on my door stop and people continue to amaze me with their kindness! It was finding a location to distribute products from that was the challenge and still one we face today. We have partnered with another amazing non-profit for our market distribution days, but we are also on the lookout for another location that allows us to store items and distribute them more often to families or individuals in need. Currently, all of the items are being stored in our basement and we fill bins and take the bins to each of our events. This is an amazing partnership and we are so grateful for them, but we hope to one day have our own brick and mortar that allows us to become a more permanent part of the community.

Just as we were getting established with our market distribution days we faced the issues that come with the stay at home order. This has truly impacted us and our ability to distribute products since we couldn’t have our market distribution days. The other non-profit that we partner with had to readjust how they are serving the community which in turn has impacted us. As we brainstormed a way to continue to give back during these challenging times, we came up with “We’ve Got You Covered Event.” With this event we wanted to give away a month supply of diapers and wipes to children in need who are located in Northern Colorado. It was a first come first serve program, and we had to close the form within 12 hours of opening because of the overwhelming amount of responses. We had 42 families that applied for this special program. We depleted a majority of our inventory in addition to asking for sponsors for some kids. In the end we distributed 10,500 diapers and 12,900 wipes to families. It was an amazing way to give back and we home we can return to our regular Market Distribution Day schedule when it is safe for both our clients and our volunteers.

Please tell us about Grace Upon Grace Project.
At Grace Upon Grace Project it is truly our mission help others. There is so much more to people’s stories than what we actually know and we feel it is our job to hold space for others and show them grace. It is not our job to judge them. We want to provide under-served families and infants diapers, wipes, and period products to live and grow with grace and dignity while addressing the roots of social inequities. One thing that I feel sets us apart is our ability to acknowledge that some of us our more privileged than others, but that does not make us any better. We feel that it actually means we should do more to help others.

As a mother of two with one on the way I know I am mothering privileged. Each morning I wake up knowing I have diapers waiting for me. I won’t have to choose between clean diapers and paying my electric bill. I don’t have to worry about whether or not I have enough clean diapers to send my child to childcare. I get to soak in the moments of laughter with my children instead of working two jobs. I get to rest easy instead of making a checklist of agencies to reach out to for the little extra support I need. ⠀

At Grace Upon Grace Project we have been given the opportunity to help others struggling. We have been given the opportunity to raise awareness around the uncomfortable issues. We don’t ask individuals or families to complete a form or show proof of income when they are in need. Instead we simply show others who are struggling that they are loved, they are seen, and they are not alone.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe that the universe has a master plan for each one of us that aligns with our greater purpose. When I look back at each event that led me to begin Grace Upon Grace Project–there were signs that were interjecting themselves all along the way. Some were more subtle than others, while others were life changing experiences that brought me tears. From a life learning, but very unhealthy and broken engagement, to my move to Denver, to meeting my husband, to connecting with some of the most incredible women who are now a part of this journey, to the books I have read–the universe was talking to me and I just had to be willing to listen.

One of my favorite quotes is by Elizabeth Gilbert. She says, “create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.” So, I am here creating a revolution. I am taking the steps to make this world a better place. I created a service which revolves around kindness, compassion, empathy, and GRACE. All of my experiences, but most recently my experience of rationing period products and the shame that came with using airplane paper towels as a makeshift pad taught me about my purpose Maybe some people would call my experiences bad luck, but I prefer to say the universe was talking to me and just had to listen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.graceupongraceproject.org/
• Email: info@graceupongraceproject.org

Image Credit:
Jill Skoglund

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