Shaping empowerment: Prodigal Pottery at King’s Home offers employment and healing for residents

The women at Prodigal Pottery have been preparing for Christmas since July.

That’s when orders for Christmas gifts and preparation for holiday markets begins. Their busy season is actually six months out of the year, running until the end of December.

Created in 2014 to provide a safe and therapeutic work environment for residents of King’s Home, Prodigal Pottery began in a donated house located close to the rest of the King’s Home property, along with a donation of a kiln and unpainted pottery.

It was Jamie Johnson’s heart for women and ministry that led her to become the program’s director. The Auburn graduate had worked in craft cooperatives in Africa and taught art to kids in a school in Rwanda before being hired to lead the program.

“I actually refused the position several times,” Johnson said. “How would I have any level or understanding from my point of view to minister to them well? How would I have anything to give these women? The unknown was a lot, but the Lord placed it on my heart to accept the position.”

Once she arrived, Johnson hired several women to work a few hours a week to make simple pieces of pottery. She compared it to making cookies as they would roll out the clay like cookie dough and used cookie cutters to create some of the pieces. For many, this was their first time working with art.

“Something we realized very early on, the average woman at King’s Home had never done art or pottery before, and coming from such vulnerable situations, we wanted to do something to empower them that was really easy to make and beautiful without much knowledge.”

For many years King’s Home (formerly Hannah Home/King’s Ranch) has helped women who were fleeing domestic abuse, homelessness and other issues, while developing their professional skills, relationships with others and spiritual growth. Prodigal Pottery provided the opportunity for them to learn job skills and earn a paycheck.

“Finding a job that would be uplifting for them, long term or pay more than minimum wage is a tall order for them,” Johnson said.

In addition to women who live at King’s Home or have graduated from the program, they partner with WellHouse to employ several women who commute back and forth to work at Prodigal Pottery.

Every piece of art is handcrafted, and 100% of the proceeds from every purchase goes directly toward supporting the women who work there. The sales come from wholesale retail partners all over the country, including locally at Alabama Goods in Homewood, A’mano Gifts in Mountain Brook and Urban Home Market in Lee Branch and from local shows including Christmas Village, Market Noel and Pepper Place. Items can also be purchased from its website and Etsy store. Its last show of the holiday season will be The Samford Legacy League Gift Market at the Samford President’s Home on Dec. 5.

Five years into the program, Johnson said they will reach about $300,000 in sales in 2019. While they do sometimes break even, they do not see a major profit. Any profits that are made go back into supporting King’s Home.

“Our slogan is employ, equip and empower,” Johnson said. “We believe through employment we are able to equip women to succeed long term and empower them for what God has made them to do.”

It’s when women are in the final stage of their time at King’s Home that they can work at Prodigal Pottery as they are preparing to get back on their feet and move out.

“They may not be emotionally ready to take that leap, so we are a great middle of the road job in a safe environment for them,” she said. “We try to accommodate their schedules for visitation with their children or counseling. We always make a way for them to do those things that are important to their emotional, mental and spiritual growth.”

Five of the current staff members have graduated the King’s Home program and live on their own. Since its beginning, Prodigal Pottery has employed 89 women, 32 in full-time positions. Johnson said it has been incredible to watch how they are transformed through the program.

“I think a lot of it is that these women have never experienced being given responsibility, and it is foreign to them to feel like they’re loved,” she said. “It is remarkable to see how that impacts them and their hearts. Another huge thing they haven't experienced is grace. Also, the love have for themselves and others and for the Lord is really cool to get to experience.”

Assisting Johnson in running the program is Jenna Cagle, who lives at King’s Home and handles business development. Cagle began working with the program around a year ago, just a month after she arrived at King’s Home.

Cagle began with painting first, then learned how to tag and package orders then how to make pottery. She said working there brings her peace, even in the midst of chaos.

“I get to explain to the public what we do and our mission and how its helped me,” she said. “I've learned more here than anything else I’ve ever done. Because of the things people did for me, it's my turn to give back.”

Prodigal Pottery is scheduled to move into its new showroom space at 221 Kings Home Drive on Dec. 7. It will be open for shopping on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit prodigalpottery.com. To shop, visit etsy.com/shop/prodigalpottery.