National Council of Jewish Women “RISE” Self-Empowerment Workshops for Toni’s Kitchen Guests

Beginning in late May, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) / Essex Center for Women began offering their "RISE" self-empowerment workshops for guests at Toni's Kitchen. "RISE" stands for Reaching Into Self-Empowerment and is a series of interactive workshops designed for women in transition who seek new ways to build confidence and overcome obstacles by rediscovering their inner strength and power. The program guides participants as they embrace their positive self-concept to reach their life goals.

Each of the four workshops is on a different topic related to the overall theme, RISE. Three of the sessions that have taken place so far are: "Managing Negative Self-Talk", "Transforming Fears", and "Resilience". A fourth session, "You First," is scheduled for early October.

There have been a lot of very positive responses from guests who have participated in these sessions so far. One participant said, "I attended as I wanted to do something for myself. To be with other people and learn from them. To become stronger. RISE did just that. I want to keep coming." Another participant said, "I learned how to face my fears and discovered strategies to work through them. And a third participant added, "By listening to others speak, I became aware of certain fears I had never recognized before. The workshop equipped me with the ability to overcome them."

Dana Miceli, a Social Worker and Coordinator of RISE Programming for NCJW/Essex Center for Women, said, "I can say that the experience has been even better than any of us anticipated. In the three workshops so far, the women in our circle have been so engaging, so full of wisdom, and most importantly ready with heartfelt support and encouragement for each other. I hope these women are coming away with a sense of belonging and community and have learned that none of us are alone in our experience of fear and insecurity!"

Programs like this one and others at Toni's Kitchen Choice Pantry help provide guests with valuable tools and resources to help improve their lives.