Why Small Businesses Matter
made possible by Fairfield County Bank
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!
You’re IT Inspiring Comfort!
Three questions with Jill Bornstein, co-owner of Inspiring Comfort.
Why did you start your business?
Former Ridgefielder Jen Marr, Newtown Resident Mary Perry and I officially launched our social good company called Inspiring Comfort in 2017. We teach and equip children and adults in school settings, camps, rehab centers, professional development days, community service groups (and many more) thru skill-based learning how to create compassionate connections in order to awaken empathy and give comfort to those who are hurting and isolated. Both Jen and Mary are comfort dog handlers and in the past 5 years (and continue to do so) have spent hours behind the leash with comfort dogs watching as the dogs comforted students and adults in Sandy Hook, the Boston Marathon bombing, Parkland shooting and countless other people suffering from losses due to suicide or other sudden crisis. We also saw the impact technology was having on people’s ability to connect and respond to those who needed connection. We knew something more needed to be done and comfort dogs could not be everywhere.
We developed our programs which were first done on a small scale but more recently thru our “Comfort in a box” programs which can be purchased online. Teachers, counselors, mental health advocates and professional development leaders here and all across the country now have access to our programs. Using our skill-based learning program, based on the lessons of the comfort dogs, we move beyond theory based kindness programs and require intentional person to person action to learn about giving and receiving thru our signature comfort plaques.
Finish this sentence in regard to your business: “I wish I could…”
I wish I could reverse the societal trend of loneliness and social isolation. One of the greatest downfalls of the digital age is the increased feeling of loneliness. Among people ages 15-34 suicide is the second leading cause of death. We need to do more as a society to foster a connection between people and give them the tools to recognize when someone is hurting and how they can reach out and comfort them – this can sometimes be awkward – which we refer to as breaking thru the Awkward Zone™.
Best selling product/ service
Our Club Comfort™ program (an after-school club) designed for 10 club meetings with 10 core lessons and the creation of 10 comfort plaques by each participant is being used at Ridgefield High School but also across the country in 17 different states.
Our Project Comfort™ program is a done in a day event based on 3 core lessons from the comfort dogs and each participant creates one comfort plaque. We have conducted this program in various schools in CT and NY and most recently at the Wilton Middle School. But this program is also used by adults for professional development days, in rehab centers or for adults community service projects.
You can learn more by visiting our website here.