About Perennial

A 501(c)3 social enterprise, Perennial is a community workshop and store in St. Louis, MO that offers educational programming in creative reuse to diverse populations and sells handmade DIY kits and tools for reuse projects. We turn trash in to amazing items and teach the community to do the same!

Established in 2011, Perennial is a non-profit dedicated to creative reuse—the process of artistically transforming discarded goods into objects of worth. The concept for Perennial developed from the work of community artist and educator Jenny Murphy after creating numerous projects and programs leading diverse populations through the process of creative reuse. With the help of a passionate grassroots board, Perennial was established as a resource for the St. Louis community to discover ways to reuse objects, reduce waste, and live a sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle through the power of their personal creativity.

In its workshop, Perennial teaches creative classes covering topics from eco-refinishing, to upholstery, to building new furniture from pallets. Perennial offers these educational programs to the public and partners with area social service agencies to engage women in transition in outreach programs. Perennial’s space also serves as a retail outlet for Perennial merchandise, the revenue from which supports the organization’s educational programs.

Our Mission

Build a creative culture of sustainability in which discarded items are transformed into valued and cherished resources.

Our Goals

  • TEACH people to think and act creatively and responsibly by providing opportunities to develop do-it-yourself skills and learn to reuse objects and reduce waste
  • DIVERT waste from landfills
  • FOSTER thoughtful and sustainable consumer experiences
  • GENERATE revenue through our classes and store to support opportunities for underserved populations to engage in the creative reuse process

Our Board

  • Jennifer Disbennett, President

    Portfolio Reporting Consultant | Matter Family Office

  • Amanda Yates, Director

    Lead Designer, Brand Experience | PGAV Destinations

  • Madison Hrdlicka-Welge, Director

    Assistant Vice President, Strategy & Employee Experience | US Bancorp CDC

  • Darniece Harris, Director

    Senior IT Technical Analyst, GrayBar

  • Briana Bobo, Director

    Recruitment Marketing Manager | Perficient

  • Samantha Mueller, Director

    Senior Manager | AICPA & CIMA

  • Cindy Hults, Director

    Scrum Master | Edward Jones

  • Jayvn Solomon, Director

    Interdisciplinary Creator + Founder | L.O.T.U.S Labs

Job Opportunities

About Our Space

Perennial’s workshop is located in South St. Louis and is an inspirational space for the community. Volunteers helped transform and build out the workshop entirely with found materials. The space houses a small retail shop, full woodshop, reuse studio, and a full selection of reclaimed materials for your upcycling needs!

 

Open Hours

Stop by the shop any Thursday, Friday, or Saturday 11am-5pm to check out the space, register for upcoming workshops, or shop Perennial-made goods and reclaimed materials.

What You Can Do at Perennial

  • Attend a class
  • Attend a Saturday Crafternoon
  • Have a private event or party
  • Shop for eco-friendly projects supplies like milk paint
  • Shop for Perennial-made DIY kits and tools
  • Root through our salvaged materials and purchase some for your projects

Supporters

St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District

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Regional Arts Commission

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Missouri Department of Natural Resources

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Trio Foundation

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