Mother's Day in Bloom at J.McLaughlin in Downtown Ridgefield, Shop Thursday and Friday and Support The Center

Just in time for Mother’s Day, The Center for Empowerment and Education is giving community members a reason to shop local while supporting the nonprofit's vital mission: to break the cycle of interpersonal violence through empowerment, education and support services.

Head to J. McLaughlin at 395 Main Street in downtown Ridgefield this Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13 from noon to 5pm for a wonderful shopping experience for an even better cause. 15% of sales will benefit The Center for Empowerment & Education (formerly known as The Women’s Center). 

You will also have an opportunity to meet members of The Center’s Board of Directors: Lori Berisford, Elaine Cox, Courtesy Elliott, Susan Gessner, Glori Norwitt and Greg Pepin and learn more about The Center's important work.

All of The Center’s programs are self-funded through our development efforts, including this J. McLaughlin fundraiser.

Did you know? 

* Since the fall of 2023, The Center’s Prevention Education team has received over 80 disclosures from students experiencing bullying, sexual harassment, dating or domestic violence, sexual assault, and more. “On average, we receive roughly 16 disclosures a month. And these are not just from our high schools. Many of these disclosures come from our middle and elementary schools,” they say.

* 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men have experienced physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner, and over half of women and almost 1 in 3 men have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.

* Millions of victims said that they first experienced these forms of violence before the age of 18. Researchers know these numbers are highly underestimated because so many cases go unreported, often due to a lack of education.

The Center for Empowerment and Education explains, “We believe education and prevention is the key to ending this violence. That’s why in addition to our no-cost counseling and advocacy services, crisis intervention, and emergency shelter, we have a prevention education team. Our Prevention Educators and Trainers go out into the schools and community providing educational programs on topics such as boundaries and consent, healthy relationships, bystander intervention, and more.”

See you at J. McLaughlin! 

Learn more about The Center https://thecenterct.org/

 

R
Submitted by Ridgefield, CT

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next