Founder Story &
Organizational Why
This was the first time I told my story out loud. After years of carrying pain in silence, I chose courage over fear. That moment not only changed my life—it became the foundation for the work I do today, helping others find hope, healing, and the strength to share their own stories.
My Empowerment Queen Brunches were created to celebrate the strength, resilience, and accomplishments of extraordinary women. Honoring these queens reminded me of the power of community, encouragement, and sisterhood.
Our
Why:
Founder
Benita Spinner
High school dropout. College graduate. This walk across the stage was more than a degree—it was a victory over doubt, setbacks, and every reason I could have given up. At 40, I proved to myself that growth has no expiration date.
This photo is difficult for me to look at. At the time, I didn't realize how broken I felt inside or how deeply loneliness had taken root in my life.
Behind the smile was a woman longing to be seen, understood, and loved. Looking back, I wish I could tell her to keep going, that healing, purpose, and joy were waiting for her on the other side of the pain.
This photo captures what should have been one of the happiest seasons of my life. Instead, I was walking into marriage carrying years of unhealed trauma, rejection, and emotional pain.
At my bridal shower, no friends came to celebrate with me only my family was there. I smiled for the pictures, but inside I felt incredibly alone.
Looking back, I realize I was searching for love, acceptance, and belonging while carrying wounds I didn't yet know how to heal.
That season nearly broke me, but it also became part of the story that would one day lead me to healing, purpose, and hope.
When people meet me today, they see an entrepreneur, author, speaker, educator, and community advocate. What they don't immediately see is the journey that shaped my life's purpose.
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As a child, I survived sexual abuse, rape, parental rejection, and later domestic violence. Those experiences left invisible wounds that followed me into adulthood, affecting my confidence, relationships, and sense of self-worth. Like many survivors, I became skilled at hiding my pain. I smiled when I was hurting, poured into others while neglecting myself, and carried burdens that no one could see.
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For years, I believed surviving was enough.
Then I discovered the healing power of creativity.
Creating became my safe place. Planning events, designing, crafting, and bringing people together gave me peace when life felt chaotic. Creativity allowed me to express emotions I couldn't always put into words and became one of the first places where I truly began to heal.
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As I embraced my own healing journey, I felt called to help others find theirs.
That calling led me to produce "Out of Time", a stage play that confronted the silence surrounding sexual assault. It inspired me to host women's empowerment events where honest conversations could take place and lasting connections could be formed. I became a published author, first sharing my story in "Reflections", then creating opportunities for other women to tell theirs through an anthology I compiled, "The AfterMath: Life After". My most recent book, "The Why: What You Don't See, We Carry", explores the invisible burdens people carry every day and reminds readers that healing is possible.
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Every chapter of my life has prepared me for this work.
Crafting for Hope is not simply a nonprofit I founded—it is the manifestation of my healing journey. It was born from the belief that creativity can help people process trauma, rediscover hope, and build meaningful connections with others.
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Today, I am committed to creating safe, welcoming spaces where women, youth, seniors, caregivers, and underserved communities can experience the same gift that changed my life. Through creative workshops, community partnerships, Hope Note initiatives, and outreach programs, we are transforming craft supplies into opportunities for healing, confidence, and connection.
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People often ask why I am so passionate about this work.
The answer is simple.
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Because I know what it feels like to believe you're carrying your pain alone.
And I know what it feels like to discover that hope can be created—one conversation, one project, one act of kindness, and one person at a time.
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My story is not defined by what happened to me.
It is defined by what I chose to do with it.
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Today, my greatest purpose is helping others discover that while pain may be part of their story, it does not have to be the end of it.
At 50, I no longer measure my life by what I've lost, but by what I've found. I have found peace in releasing what I cannot change, strength in embracing the woman I have become, and purpose in the pain that once threatened to destroy me.
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My story is not one of perfection—it is one of redemption. Every setback, every unanswered question, every tear, and every scar became part of the foundation for the life I now live. I no longer ask, "Why did this happen to me?" Instead, I ask, "Who can I help because I survived it?"
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Today, I walk in purpose with a heart full of hope. My ministry is to remind others that healing is possible, that creativity can restore what trauma tried to steal, and that no matter how broken life may feel, there is always hope for tomorrow.
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This is not the end of my story.
It is the beginning of someone else's because I chose to tell mine.
My first stage play, Out of Time, used the power of theater to shine a light on sexual assault awareness, giving voice to difficult conversations and creating space for healing, understanding, and hope.
BMSTE Radio Show was my first radio show, created to give women an unfiltered voice—a space to share their truths, inspire one another, and engage in conversations that matter.
Before the heartbreak. Before the trauma. Before life taught me about pain. This little girl was full of hope, joy, and endless dreams.
She reminds me why I fight so hard today
not just for myself, but for every person who has forgotten the light they once carried.
Crafting for Hope exists because I believe that light can always be rediscovered.
Hosting my Superwomen Brunch was about more than bringing women together it was about creating a safe space where we could remove the masks we wear every day.
Together, we had honest, heartfelt conversations about the pain, trauma, and silent burdens so many women carry.
In that room, vulnerability became strength, healing began, and women were reminded that they never have to carry their pain alone.
Founding Members
99
Creating Hope. Inspiring Healing. Building Community.
Valid for 12 months
Exclusive Founding Member Welcome Gift
Limited Edition Founding Member T-Shirt
Quarterly Digital Hope Newsletter
Two Members-Only Healing Craft Workshops each year
10% Discount on eligible Crafting for Hope events
Recognition as a Founding Member helping launch our mission
Access to Our Memembers Only Support Group
Access to Virtual Self-Help Workshops
Discount on Workshops