Honoring Pride with RHD's Morris Home
We're proud to continue to support the life-changing work of our neighbors
When we think about Pride Month, sweeping movements come to mind – of the sea of change that swelled from the Stonewall Uprising, and of the millions across the country (and globe) who’ve fought for LGBTQIA+ equality before and since.
But as we observe Pride at Anthropologie, we’re honored to be doing the work right in our own backyard with Morris Home, a small, remarkable Resources for Human Development program changing lives not far from our Home Office in Philadelphia.
Morris Home is the first and only residential recovery program in the country specifically for transgender and non-binary individuals. After partnering with Morris Home last year and being inspired by their mission and members, we wondered, "What more can we do?"
The first answer is perhaps obvious: This year, we’ve once again pledged a financial donation to help support Morris Home's life-changing (often life-saving) services.
In addition to funds, we also offered what we here at Anthropologie do best. As Morris Home prepared to open its new location, our team came together to furnish and style five rooms and an outdoor space as a housewarming gift.
But as we observe Pride at Anthropologie, we’re honored to be doing the work right in our own backyard with Morris Home, a small, remarkable Resources for Human Development program changing lives not far from our Home Office in Philadelphia.
Morris Home is the first and only residential recovery program in the country specifically for transgender and non-binary individuals. After partnering with Morris Home last year and being inspired by their mission and members, we wondered, "What more can we do?"
The first answer is perhaps obvious: This year, we’ve once again pledged a financial donation to help support Morris Home's life-changing (often life-saving) services.
In addition to funds, we also offered what we here at Anthropologie do best. As Morris Home prepared to open its new location, our team came together to furnish and style five rooms and an outdoor space as a housewarming gift.
"We wanted to clearly show that programs supporting folks coming out of homelessness can and should be beautiful, luxurious spaces," says Laura Sorensen, Morris Home’s director. "When we had the opportunity to design a new space from scratch, we knew that we wanted to create a functional sanctuary – a space where our members could feel safe, heal from trauma, and do the hard work of recovery."
The Morris Home community faces unique obstacles in pursuing recovery and seeking treatment. Transgender people experience poverty, housing instability, lack of access to healthcare, increased police surveillance, and incarceration at highly disproportionate rates, explains Laura. When these systems intersect, transgender people – and especially Black women of color – are pushed to the margins.
The Morris Home community faces unique obstacles in pursuing recovery and seeking treatment. Transgender people experience poverty, housing instability, lack of access to healthcare, increased police surveillance, and incarceration at highly disproportionate rates, explains Laura. When these systems intersect, transgender people – and especially Black women of color – are pushed to the margins.
This is why it’s so important to tailor recovery – from substance-use disorders, from trauma, from homelessness – to gender-nonconforming people and the stories they’ve lived.
Morris Home's new location provides spaces to heal, with innovative designs such as a SMART (Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment) therapy room developed by Leah Forrest, an environmental design specialist at Resources for Home Development. The room is equipped with features such as aromatherapy, special lighting, and lifelike robotic therapy pets.
"Trauma can make it incredibly difficult to manage your body’s responses to stressful situations or emotions," says Laura. "SMART provides us with tools to help regulate our systems through sensory or physical interventions. It's all designed to help individuals regulate their emotions back to the middle ground, where healing can happen."
Morris Home's new location provides spaces to heal, with innovative designs such as a SMART (Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment) therapy room developed by Leah Forrest, an environmental design specialist at Resources for Home Development. The room is equipped with features such as aromatherapy, special lighting, and lifelike robotic therapy pets.
"Trauma can make it incredibly difficult to manage your body’s responses to stressful situations or emotions," says Laura. "SMART provides us with tools to help regulate our systems through sensory or physical interventions. It's all designed to help individuals regulate their emotions back to the middle ground, where healing can happen."
The new location's colorful, airy spaces offer opportunities to both gather together and retreat privately. “The brightness and the lighting – the house is so colorful. It makes you feel welcome," says Unique, a current resident.
“The furniture was a great asset – it made it feel therapeutic and more like treatment," adds fellow resident Keyon.
Since opening in 2012, Morris Home has provided a holistic, pioneering, 360-degree approach to recovery for its underserved residents. Now, it has a space more worthy of its important mission. “We are so excited to be able to offer the community the type of space they truly deserve – full of beautifully curated rooms where our members can do the hard work of healing in a safe and dignified environment," says Laura.
This month and always, our goal is to support and enrich the incredible work being done by our neighbors and friends for LGBTQIA+ equality. We hope you'll join us in supporting Morris Home, as well as those working in your own community.
Join us in donating to RHD's Morris Home
Learn more about our community initiatives
“The furniture was a great asset – it made it feel therapeutic and more like treatment," adds fellow resident Keyon.
Since opening in 2012, Morris Home has provided a holistic, pioneering, 360-degree approach to recovery for its underserved residents. Now, it has a space more worthy of its important mission. “We are so excited to be able to offer the community the type of space they truly deserve – full of beautifully curated rooms where our members can do the hard work of healing in a safe and dignified environment," says Laura.
This month and always, our goal is to support and enrich the incredible work being done by our neighbors and friends for LGBTQIA+ equality. We hope you'll join us in supporting Morris Home, as well as those working in your own community.
Join us in donating to RHD's Morris Home
Learn more about our community initiatives