ABOUT US
The Men’s Textile Collective Foundation is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are on a mission to reframe textile crafts as a mental health tool that promotes well-being, to educate, and to build community.
We believe textile crafts are for everyone, including men, and everyone deserves a place where creativity feels like home.
Well-Being
Healing Through Creativity and Connection
Research consistently finds that textile crafts can reduce anxiety, ease stress, and support individuals living with trauma. As crafters, we know the steady rhythm of working with your hands can calm the mind, improve focus, and create a sense of groundedness that many people struggle to find in their daily lives. Textile crafts are not just hobbies, they are evidence-backed tools for emotional regulation and personal well-being.
Veterans, first responders, parents, and others who carry invisible burdens can benefit from textile crafts, but may not have considered it due to the stigma of seeking help or exploring creative practices. We want to make these practices accessible, acceptable, and welcoming by breaking down the barriers that keep people from reaching for a tool that could genuinely help.
Textile therapies have shown real potential to support individuals living with the effects of stress and trauma. As we grow, our goal is to develop a structured textile therapy program and textile-based support groups that bring these benefits to individuals and communities who most need them. Our vision is grounded in research, partnership, and the lived experiences of those who have found healing through craft.
Education
Breaking the Stigma Through Understanding
Education is woven into everything we do – from outreach programs and partnerships to everyday conversations that challenge the status quo. Historically men have been part of the textile world. From fathers passing down essential handcraft skills to quilting and tailoring traditions, to the artistry of dying and design, men have shaped these crafts for generations. Yet today many men feel unseen or unwelcome in spaces built around these crafts.
Through education, conversation, and visibility we are working to shift the narrative and open doors. Change in the market begins with change in the community. When more men feel confident taking up textile crafts, companies will take notice, representation will shift, and marketing will broaden to reflect the people who participate in it. Our role is to inspire that shift by uplifting the voices, stories, and skills of men who create, whether they are beginners or lifelong makers.
Community
Building Connections That Matter
Community is at the heart of our work. Humans are communal creatures by nature – built to gather, build, and share experiences. For men especially, well-being is closely tied to connection. Being around other men who create, learn, and show up for one another can be profoundly healing – reinforcing that they do not have to carry everything by themselves. There is strength in creating alongside others who understand.
We are committed to uplifting others through programs, partnerships, and hands-on support that bring creativity and compassion directly into the Houston area. Through our outreach we work to strengthen the places where people gather, learn and grow; and to provide resources, skills, and continuity to organizations that serve youth and families in need. Our broader network includes local schools, fiber shops, guilds, and associations throughout Houston. Together, we collaborate to bring textile crafting into classrooms, community spaces, and support programs where it can make a meaningful difference.
Each week our Fiber Fellas/Ellas meetups make space to gather, share, and create. We partner with local schools to offer demonstrations, education, and sponsorship of their efforts to introduce students to textile crafting. One of our core partnerships is with Pathways Youth and Family Services, where our volunteers come together each year to create handmade Christmas stockings and cards for the children in their care. We also support programs like Montrose Grace Place, offering connection and comfort through textile crafting to youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability. These efforts reflect our belief that creativity is a powerful tool for healing and that showing up for our community is a responsibility we carry with pride.
Our Beginning
A Personal Journey That Sparked a Movement
I set out to create a quilt from the t-shirts I collected during my years as a Military Training Instructor at Basic Military Training in San Antonio, Texas. With the guidance of my quilt “mom,” my first project came to life. As I continued exploring textile crafts after retiring from the Air Force, I discovered how deeply these crafts supported my well-being and how naturally they created community. It was clear to me that others, including those with similar service backgrounds, might benefit from the same sense of focus, grounding, and belonging.
The more I learned, the more I recognized the gap between who participates in textile crafts and who could participate. That realization grew into the Men’s Textile Collective Foundation with a mission to promote well-being through textile crafts, to break the stigma of men in textile crafting through education, and to build community. What began with one quilt has grown into a movement dedicated to ensuring that everyone who is seeking connection, creativity, or healing has a place to begin.
Brice Porter, Founder and Executive Director
Our Team
Drafting the Blueprint for Everyday Wellness
Brice serves as the Executive Director of the Men’s Textile Collective Foundation (MTCF). Drawing on over two decades of operational and executive experience, Brice leads MTCF’s strategic growth, most notably driving the development of Houston’s premier, state-of-the-art therapeutic center to serve individuals navigating mental health challenges, occupational therapy, and neurodiversity.
Prior to stepping into executive leadership two years ago, Brice completed a distinguished 20-year career in the United States Military, retiring as a Master Sergeant in 2023. Throughout their service, Brice directed large-scale squadron operations, managed complex financial portfolios, and led personnel across multiple installations nationwide. Brice holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, with plans to complete a Master’s Degree in Non-Profit Leadership. This combination of hands-on military oversight and ongoing business education directly informs MTCF’s organizational rigor and fiscal sustainability.
Brice lives with their spouse and 11-year-old son and is an active fiber artist specializing in quilting, knitting, and crochet, He enjoys expanding into new textile techniques alongside the MTCF community.
Brice Porter
Executive Director
As Treasurer of MTCF, Matthew (Matt) stewards the Foundation's resources and aligns its financial strategy with its long-term goals.
With a robust background in finance and risk management, Matt spent many years at Capital One, leading analytical and process management initiatives across IT, tax compliance, and regulatory reporting. He brings a multidisciplinary approach to MTCF, holding degrees in Business Administration from Kansas State University, Computer Science from the University of Houston, and a Master of Accounting from The Ohio State University. This intersection of finance and technology allows Matt to expertly guide MTCF's financial sustainability and compliance operations.
When he is not immersed in spreadsheets, Matt enjoys fitness, spending time with his dog, and working on a growing portfolio of fiber crafts, including crocheting, knitting, quilting, and tie-dying.
