Two Women, Two Creations, and the Quiet Power of Belonging

There’s something magical about the holidays at Project HOME. Not the flashy kind of magic, but the quieter kind that shows up in candlelight, in pencil strokes against paper, and in ideas that begin as small sparks and transform into something people across the city want to hold in their hands.

Last year’s Social Enterprises holiday collection captured that magic. At the center of it are two women, Brandi and Tynijah; Two residents, two creatives, with very different journeys, yet connected by the same truth: when people are given space, trust, and opportunity, they create something beautiful.

When you light one of this past year’s holiday candles or open a card from Project HOME, you’re not just buying a product. You’re stepping into a story that’s been months in the making and shaped by care, collaboration, and intention.

Tynijah

For Tynijah, home has always meant warmth. Literally. “I feel like that’s what makes a home,” she said, laughing softly. “Once you come in and light your candle, it’s like you accept the aroma for a nice house. It’s a good gift. You can never go wrong with a candle.”

Tynijah is a resident at Project HOME’s Francis House of Peace and a part-time Resident Associate with Social Enterprises. She is also the organization’s only official candle maker. Her connection to Project HOME runs deep. She and her mother both found stability through the organization, first through supportive housing and later through employment. What began as survival slowly blossomed into a community.

During the pandemic, when operations shifted and new opportunities emerged, Tynijah stepped into the Social Enterprises candle program not as a beginner, but as someone who had already been experimenting with candle-making at home. “I was already doing candles,” she said. “When the position opened up, my manager called me.” What followed was not just participation, but innovation.

Working closely with Samantha Kapenstein, Senior Manager of Social Enterprises, Tynijah helped design a new candle line for the 2025 holiday collection. The process began much earlier that May, and involved nearly eight months of research, testing, and refinement. While Samantha was on sabbatical, Tynijah was given the space and trust to own the research and development process herself.

“I wanted her to take ownership,” Samantha said. “I gave her a budget and the freedom to research trends, test new styles, and really lead the project.”

Tynijah studied emerging candle trends, sourced custom molds, watched candle-making master classes, and experimented through trial and error. Some designs didn’t work — and that was part of the process. “That’s research and development,” Samantha explained. “You try something, you learn, and you pivot.”

Out of that work came some of the most creative candles Social Enterprises has ever produced, including the Tree of Hope candle, a sculptural tree-topped design, and a color-changing candle that reveals a deep blue as it burns. The sales response exceeded every expectation. “It’s kind of groundbreaking,” Tynijah said. “I didn’t think it would be this popular. I thought it’d be a good Christmas gift, but it really exceeded what I thought it would be.”

The candles sold out multiple times throughout the holiday season, requiring rushed re-production to meet demand. Each one is handmade, poured with patience, intention, and pride.

“It feels like a family,” Tynijah said. “Once you buy it, you’re a part of the family too.” She sees Social Enterprises as more than a job. It’s a bridge and a way for residents to build confidence, earn income, and feel connected to something larger than themselves. “If you help us, you help homelessness,” she said simply. “If you feed back into Project HOME, you feed back into Philadelphia — period.”

Brandi

Brandi’s story begins a bit differently, but it carries the same tenacity. She became a resident at Project HOME’s Connelly House in late summer 2025 after years of navigating homelessness, shelters, waiting lists, and survival that demanded resilience every single day. By the time she arrived, she carried exhaustion, but also creativity, ambition, and an unshakable sense of purpose.

“I was literally outside,” she said plainly. “Sleeping outside. In the winter.”

Art has always been a lifeline for Brandi. When she saw a flyer in her building’s elevator announcing a holiday art contest for Project HOME’s cards, she took a picture and thought, why not? “That flyer,” she said, “was my foot in the door.”

Planning for the holiday card collection begins at the start of each fiscal year in July. This past year, between 50 and 60 residents from across the Project HOME community submitted their original artwork. Submissions were supported through collaboration between Social Enterprises and the Art Program at the Honickman Learning Comcast Technology Labs, where residents were offered supplies, guidance, and weekly classes to develop their work.

“Submitting art takes courage,” Samantha said. “You’re putting a piece of yourself out there, knowing it might not be chosen.” After several months, a panel of Project HOME staff reviewed their submissions through a voting process. Seven winners were selected, among them Brandi, who had been part of Project HOME for less than a year. “That makes it even more special,” Samantha said. “It’s an amazing opportunity for her to begin seeing what’s possible.”

Brandi’s winning illustration was a cozy living room scene warmed by a glowing fireplace, mugs of hot cocoa, and a picturesque scene set for a family gathering. This resonated immediately and every detail was intentional. “All of this is what I imagined I would’ve liked for my family,” Brandi shared. “The little stars are inspired by awards I won in school. The people are my siblings, my mom, and my nephew. We never really had a fireplace, but my mom had one of those electric heaters that looked like one.”

It’s not just a holiday scene. It’s a vision of safety. Of belonging. The idea of home Brandi held onto even when she didn’t have one physically.  

Her card became one of the season’s top sellers and nearly sold out during its first print run. Because of its success, Social Enterprises plans to reprint the card this holiday season. Brandi received compensation for winning the contest, ongoing proceeds from future reprints, and complimentary packs of her own holiday cards to share with family. “When we gave her the cards,” Samantha recalled, “she was so excited she asked us to take pictures and videos so she could send them to her family and show them what she created.”

Brandi speaks with passion when explaining why resident involvement in Social Enterprises matters, not just symbolically, but practically. “If you see someone doing something,” she said, “maybe it inspires you to say, ‘Why don’t I put my foot forward?’ Social Enterprises gives residents an opportunity and that opportunity inspires them to keep going.”

Home Goods That Do Good

Project HOME’s Social Enterprises program isn’t just about candles, cards, or sales, though those sales do matter. They generate real revenue that goes directly back into serving Philadelphians experiencing homelessness. They create jobs. They create dignity. They create moments where residents see themselves not just as recipients of services, but as contributors, creators, and leaders.

“Our products are different,” Samantha said. “They’re handmade, they’re intentional, and when someone buys them, they’re directly supporting our residents and the work we’re doing together. These are home goods that do good.”

Without donors, customers, community members, and government dollars, these opportunities don’t happen. The art doesn’t get printed. The candles don’t get poured. The sparks don’t get the chance to ignite.

Brandi and Tynijah remind us that transformation doesn’t always arrive explosively. Sometimes it arrives quietly in a sketch drawn late at night, in a candle designed to glow a little differently, or in a resident being told, your ideas matter here.

When you support Project HOME’s Social Enterprise, whether it’s buying a card, lighting a candle, or giving a gift, you’re not just supporting a program. You’re investing in people. You’re investing in the possibility. You’re transforming resilience into something the entire city can feel.