'Equine and Chocolate' event helps empower families through the Women's Rights Information Center
LEONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- If you're looking for fall fun for a good cause, we have an afternoon for you!
It's Equine and Chocolate, on Sunday, October 6 in Overpeck Park. There will be horses, entertainment, wine, cider, and chocolate all to support and empower families! Channel 7 is a sponsor for this annual event.
The Bergen Equestrian Center has a unique program, equine therapy helping clients among others.
WABC is a proud sponsor of the Women's Rights Information Center.
"So many of the individuals that I work with through the Women's Center, they are from maybe food insecurity, or domestic violence, intimate partner violence, all of those types of situations. And the horses are empowering," said Anna Gassib, Bergen Equestrian Center.
Women and children who were abused, abandoned, or seeking empowerment are finding solace and strength by interacting with these gentle giants. That is the healing power of equine therapy.
"So, working with horses completely changed my life," one woman said. "It gives me a lot of calmness. When I'm around horses, I feel more stability. And also, I was shown how to work with a 1,000-pound horse by myself. It's amazing."
"What did that do for your confidence?" Nina Pineda asked.
"A lot," she said. "It boosts your confidence."
A survivor of physical violence for two decades, this survivor's alcoholic husband walked out on her and their young daughter in 2019.
She became a client of the Women's Rights Information Center, an Englewood-based nonprofit that empowers individuals to economic self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.
"How has the Women's Center helped you?" Pineda asked.
"I can't even find the words...just grateful," she said.
"From housing insecurity, food insecurity, domestic violence, human trafficking, you name it. Twenty-five hundred clients a year come through our doors," said Lil Corcoran, the executive director of The Women's Rights Information Center.
The fall fundraiser hosted by the staff helps raise money for programs like job placement and safe housing.
"So, it's an outdoor event where we have horses, we have activities. Kids under 10 are free. We feed you. You will definitely not go home hungry. We entertain you. We have activities. We have card readers. We have massage therapists giving free massages. We have pumpkin painting that we thought was for the kids, but the adults like it too. We have jewelry making. We have authors that have book displays out," Corcoran said. "It turns out to be a nice fall festival, and it raises critical funds for the Women's Rights Information Center so that we can continue to provide service to our community in Bergen County."
"Being part of this fundraiser is really important. It brings awareness. It brings obviously, funds, because we want the funds, and it brings lots of people together, likeminded people, and then introduces the concept of it, or the mission of the Women's Center, to maybe a group of people that maybe wouldn't have thought, hey, this actually happens in Bergen County," Gassib said. "So it does, it does wrap around. So, what they can what people can expect is a lot of fun. So it's really important that we bring awareness and we raise some funds for the cause."
The event is Sunday, October 6 from 2-5 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance. Kids under 10 get in free.
For more information, please visit: https://apps.womensrights.org/special-events?EV=242
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