We recently connected with Jay Gardner and have shared our conversation below.

Jay , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The story behind Tornpages.org started in a Georgia Prison cell some 22 years ago. ,Jay Gardner – the founder served 20 years in prison. About three years into a sentence Jay noticed a fellow inmate wearing a colorful beaded necklace with a cross on it. He was mesmerized that it was made out of paper, he had to have it and bought it. There are no gifts in prison and there are no colors in prison. Now he had a gift!
Later that evening, Jay said, God knocked on his heart and asked, do you know what you have? Jay thought of Gods grace love and mercy and forgiveness and what he had done on the cross. But he said God drew is attention to the necklace and the beads and told him, son, “it’s made from torn and ripped pieces of paper” I have . Jay said so! Son, it’s a reflection of the pages that have been torn and ripped in your life. That’s all God had to say!
All my Tornpages of heartache and sorrow came up in my heart, and tears fell from my eyes… But God said, son I can take the Tornpages of your life and create something beautiful a Hope peace and strength to help you prevail in life’s journey!!
In that prison cell, Jays life was for ever changed and he knew he had a renewed purpose and mission in life… to impact the world touching one life at a time with the gift of Hope Peace Strength. We all have Tornpages in our lives and we all are in search for a lil’ Hope Peace and Strength to help along the way!!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

WHY Support TORNPAGES.ORG?? Tornpages is jewelry uniquely made from actual torn pieces of paper, and shares a radiant message of hope peace and strength! It’s an incredible mission of changing lives in a positive way. Jay Gardner-the founder, served 20 years in prison. He knows about life’s Tornpages!
Today, Our world is torn apart and lives are being ripped in many directions! Our Vision- Now more than ever people need to experience the essence of hope the beauty of peace and the significance of strength! The gift of Tornpages provides all three!
Our Mission
#1 – Helping individuals get a fair chance from a broken prison system. In Georgia alone, there are approximately 20,000 inmates yearly released into our neighborhoods and communities with a $35 check, a bus ticket, and the clothes on the back. This is a criminal act itself. This is not a scare tactic, it’s a fact!!!!
Tornpages offers Real Solutions
2nd Chances- providing the basic necessities to help them build character, and become an asset to our communities- Providing shelter, clothing, community mentoring, food, employment, and substance addiction treatment.
#2- Tornpages provides a livelihood for 28 women in Uganda that helps support 130 children and three villages..
Thanks to support and donations of individuals, companies, churches, and other nonprofits who purchase the bracelets we are able to share Hope Peace and Strength in many ways!!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Coming out of prison after 20 years I had nothing except the gift of Tornpages that gave my life purpose and my passion was to reach a world and touch lives that we’re going through life’s tornpages of heartache and sorrow with the gift of Hope Peace and Strength! I was excited to share my gift with churches organizations and large companies to reach as many people as I could – but I kept running into Roadblocks and hearing one no after another no?!? My hope of reaching people was deferred and my heart became sick.
It was a cold and miserable night in Atlanta with the rain and sleet I was tired and weary and felt like the weather that was raining down upon me! I walked into a Publix at the deli to buy something for dinner. It was closing time. I made small talk with the lady working behind the counter. I saw her name tag read Christy and I ask how she was doing? Trying to close up after a long day she said. I asked have you heard about Tornpages? And if she could use a little hope peace and strength in her life? She replied, If you only knew.
I gave her my bracelet and asked if she could figure out what the beads were made of? She said, stones? seashells?marble?When I told her it was made out of paper she was like “Wow”!! I told her what was even more amazing was the story that was on the little card that comes with each bracelet. I watched as she read the short sentences that I know by heart, it reads” This keepsake was made by hand with torn and ripped pieces of paper. It is a reflection of the pages that have been torn and ripped in our lives. However God can take the Tornpages our lives and create something beautiful in his caring hands a hope peace and strength to prevail in lifes journey.”
I knew the moment Christy finished reading, her whole continence changed. She didn’t say a word. She did a 180 and walked all around the counter and ran up to me and grabbed me in a hug. A total stranger never walks up to someone and gives them a big hug! But Christi did!
Are after a moment we broke and I asked what’s going on Christy? She said I don’t know who you are and then the tears started flowing from eyes. I grabbed your hand and asked what happened? And between her tears and trying to speak she explained,”last Thanksgiving my husband had stomach issues. The test came back the first week of December- stage four liver cancer!!! He did not even make it to the end of the new year. Tears came down her eyes and she shared,”my life has been torn and ripped apart and you come along with a simple bracelet and it just gave me a breath of hope with a Peace and Strength to carry on!!
I walked back to my truck in the cold weary rain. As I sat in my truck tears of passion compassion and determination ran down my eyes. And I heard Gods gentle whisper” Son I don’t care if the churches or businesses get Tornpages, as long as the Christy’s in the world receive it that’s all I care!!!
I knew once again that I could never give up and sharing Tornpages hope peace and strength!
…. One month later Pastor Frank Cox (North Metro Baptist Church and former President of Ga. Baptist Convention) called.
He introduced me to his inner staff (20 minister) I shared Tornpages and everyone was touched. We have orders and donations for a Woman’s Confrence- Cancer Outreach- Youth Groups, FCA- Fellowship of Christian Athletes and other companies, churches , personal donations and foundations supporting and making donations. God willing TV shows like Steve Harvey, Tyler Perry, Ophra, The View, will come on board… once they hear The Story!

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

The story of Tornpages was found in a prison cell. I knew the bracelets would be worldwide and the vision I had is that they would be made in Third World countries giving a livelihood to women and men. It would be a means of breaking the chains of missions and giving people with nothing the dignity to work with their hands to provide a living for their families children and the villages they lived in . As shared in my story I served 20yrs in prison. I’ve only been free for five years and in the last two years Tornpages helps provide a livelihood to 28 women in Uganda that help support 130 children and three villages.
And we are only getting started!

Contact Info:

• Website: Tornpages.org
• Instagram: Tornpagesorg
• Facebook: Tornpagesorg and Jay Gardner

Image Credits
104.7 The Fish Radio Station Atlanta Ga. The Morning Show Won “The Salt Shaker Award”