We were lucky to catch up with Terry Grahl recently and have shared our conversation below.
Terry , appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
How Enchanted Makeovers Non-Profit Began
In early 2005 I started an interior decorating business called Terry’s Enchanted Cottage. It quickly became an award-winning business, and I was so very grateful. Life seemed good. I had moved on from my past, so I thought. That could have been the end of my story, but it was only just the beginning.
In December 2006 I received a phone call from a gentleman who did fundraising for a local shelter for women and children. His ask, we would be so grateful if you just painted one wall.” Honestly, at the time, my first reaction was fear. I really didn’t know what to expect. I had never been to a shelter. I decided to make the visit but wasn’t convinced I would actually volunteer.
What I saw at the shelter shook me:
used prison beds
duct-taped walls and cribs
nursing home bedspreads so thin I could poke my finger through them
lights hanging from wires
30 women in one dorm with no privacy
cardboard boxes for dressers under the bed
Everything internally the women were feeling, unloved, forgotten, ashamed, worthless – it was being reflected in their environment too. That’s unacceptable because you’re there to heal and rebuild. Your environment should be full of dignity. It should be sacred just how my mother provided for me and my siblings. That love in every little detail is critical in the healing. I believed the external transformation of the room could mirror a woman’s internal transformation. If she is surrounded by beauty, love and caring, she’ll start to integrate that and believe she is worthy of that too.
A week had passed since my first visit to the shelter. I hadn’t given it much thought. All I knew was that I had this lingering feeling of despair knowing the living conditions of the women and children. As I downloaded the pictures I had taken to my computer, there it was, THE picture. There amongst black metal used prison bunk bed, a stained mattress and an unfinished sheet-rock wall was an answer. There amongst the harshness was something dear to my heart: polka dots!
There on that seemingly ordinary pillow was an answer. It was an answer from within me but not directly from me. When I saw the polka dots in that picture, I heard, “Trust me”. I raised my right hand in the air and said, “YES”. From that moment, I knew I was prepared to do whatever I could to bring hope to the women and children. We went on to completely transform that shelter and many others!
I knew God had a greater purpose for my life. I closed my for-profit business in 2008 and started the national non-profit organization, Enchanted Makeovers.
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?
I began my interior decorating business in 2005 after all four of my children were fulltime in school. I remember telling my mom that it won’t be about decorating, it will be about giving women hope. I never thought of shelters. It was only for residential homes. I absolutely love to repurpose furniture, vintage linens, passionate about all things handmade, and I’m a flea market fanatic. The clients that called for my services, also loved anything cottage style, shabby chic, rustic style or eclectic style.
Growing up my mother was always turning curbside trash into a beacon of hope. At least that’s how I saw the amazing process and care. Vintage sheets from the thrift store were sewn into works of art for the windows in our home. My mom truly is a WARRIOR! The strength she taught her five children was shown through creativity, imagination and keeping your hands busy. Mom was and is, THE QUEEN of storytelling. Even though we faced many hardships, she could turn the story quickly around towards the light. Even now she still will say, OKAY! now that we have done are crying, WHATS THE PLAN?
I have brought all of what my mother gave and taught her children, the love always in every little detail, the power of our mind and imagination to Enchanted Makeovers mission.
About Enchanted Makeovers
Our mission is to create environments and programs that educate, empower and inspire hope for the future to women and children living in long term shelters that have escaped human trafficking, domestic violence and female homeless veterans.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My Beginnings
During the summer of 1977 the year we lost our home, my brother and I were invited to friend’s house to swim. While on the deck someone decided I needed to try out the deep end. I remember the push and immediately hitting the bottom of the pool. As I tried to reach the top my body would not move. I opened my eyes to see all the kids on the deck looking down into the water. I immediately became still and said the words, “God I am not ready to die yet.” I don’t remember the rest. I was told later that an older boy saved me. I still don’t know who that boy was. Today I can say, HE was my angel that day. I’d like to think I was saved because God had bigger plans for me.
Weeks after that terrifying experience mom packed all 5 of her children into the huge brown station wagon to go look for a new home to live. It was 1976. My mother kept the fact that we lost our house a secret. She packed all of us into the station wagon and went driving around looking for a home. We packed more than our belongings into our luggage that day; our heartaches came along with us too. The four walls changed but the trauma moved along with me for years.
Soon my mother discovered a house on the side of a road that had been forgotten, abandoned and anyone and everyone had thrown their trash in the front yard. Mom immediately saw hope and knew she was the one to restore it. Next door was a church, so mom decided to stop in and find out more about the house.
She would quickly discover that the church owned it and it used to be where the deacons of the church would live. Mom shared her story with the pastor and her need to have this house. The church said yes and shortly after mom was able to put down a small deposit and move in. She went on a journey of restoring the house. I guess that’s where my love for restoring vintage furniture and loving things back to life comes from! Now looking back, mom was really restoring herself with every wall that was repainted with clearance paint, wallpaper and the handmade curtains she made for every window. The first week we moved into our home my mother sat my brothers and sister down in a circle and spoke these words,
” We are a tribe, and nothing shall break us apart.”
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Most rewarding is serving humanity though the process of sharing your heart, sharing a vision of hope and emotion, taking leaps of faith, and being a student in life.
My greatest mentors!
My mom
Women and children rebuilding their lives in shelters
Ellen Banks, EM’s COO
“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.enchantedmakeovers.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enchantedmakeovers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/enchantedmakeoversmission/
Image Credits
Enchanted Makeovers