Recently a very wealthy executive with vast resources from a major company walked into our social enterprise called Thistle Farms. Founded more than 10 years ago, Thistle Farms provides employment for the women of Magdalene, a residential community for women who have survived trafficking and deep childhood traumas and who also have criminal histories of prostitution and addiction. 

Today, Thistle Farmsemploys over 35 women who manufacture and sell all natural bath and body care products. 

Our stores and customers demand a lot from us and rightly so. 

They demand we use quality ingredients, pay living wages, and buy with fair trade in mind. 

They expect us to be concerned about the well-being of all the women and to help with education, training, and housing as integral components of our mission. 

We depend on meeting all those expectations and rely solely on private gifts and sales to support our mission. We take nothing from the federal or state government and raise over a million dollars a year to support the mission.