Release date: Immediate
Contact: Women for Sobriety, Inc, [email protected]
With significant consideration given to the skills, experiences and expertise needed to successfully guide Women for Sobriety in its next phase of growth, the Board of Directors has selected Dr. Michelle Shaivitz to serve as the new Executive Director. Michelle’s former position as Vice President of the United Way, and twenty year history of nonprofit leadership, make her an exceptional individual for the role of Executive Director.
She holds an Ed.D. in Educational and Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University, and in 2022 won the Distinguished Alumni Award. This coveted award is bestowed to those who lead with
compassion and positively impact their fields. Michelle has also worked with those in recovery for many years raising funds and awareness for non-profit organizations. She is an active member of her sober community for over a decade and is passionate about helping others recover.
Michelle lives in Maryland, is a wife, mother of two remarkable young ladies, grammy to one, and a dog mom of two senior rescue pups. She is a lover of all animals, good food, great coffee, traveling, and all things recovery!
We are confident that under her leadership, the organization’s success and impact in achieving its mission and vision will continue to flourish.
Please join us in welcoming Michelle as Executive Director by making a donation and showing
your support for Women for Sobriety’s new leadership!
The Creative Crew Holiday Sale starts this Friday at 11am! Are you ready? Register now and enter your credit card to “Buy it Now” or to bid on auction items during the event.
There is a new WFS 2023 Wall Calendar available! Be sure to shop early as the limited quantity of 100 is expected to sell out fast!
Each month features a beautiful floral painting by Peg Connery-Boyd, WFS sister, and quotes from our WFS founder, Jean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D. You will also find familiar elements of the New Life Program inside the back cover.
WFS wishes to thank Margaret Connery-Boyd for permitting the reproduction of the digital images of her original art included in this calendar. View more of her art at conneryboydgallery.com
There are two information sessions scheduled to learn more about becoming an OMA (online meeting assistant) or CF. If you have or are approaching 1 year of continuous sobriety and have ever considered the unique volunteer opportunities within WFS, you can learn all you need to know about the roles, requirements, commitment, support, and application process.
Virginia Tech is recruiting adults in recovery from addiction, including alcohol, for a long-term online study to learn about diverse recovery pathways. Participants in this research study (IRB# 21-697) will complete 4 surveys per year over 3 years and will be compensated for their time (up to $1,280 over 3 years). Help us help others (Phone: 540-315-0205 | Email: [email protected])!
We would like to invite you to the third event sponsored by The Creative Crew!
A glorious, autumn showcase of handmade items by our sisters are for sale. There will be knitted items, pine needle baskets, quilted items, a glass piece, greeting cards galore, and other delights. Buy something for a gift and at the same time support Women For Sobriety, Inc. (WFS)! Some items will be auctioned and others are offered at “Buy It Now” for a set price. All funds (100%) support WFS.
What you need to do: · Register or Sign In to the Holiday Sale Catalog at The Creative Crew Holiday Sale.
TIP: If you registered for prior events like The Creative Crew Blooming Sale, your login is still active. If you do not remember your password, you can request an email to reset the password.
· You may now preview items online as they are added to the catalog!
The Creative Crew Holiday Sale opens at 11am Eastern US, on Friday, November 4 … and closes with the auction ending at 10pm Eastern US, on Saturday, November 5.
We hope you are still tending your gardens and blooming as a result of participating in the 2022 WFS Annual Conference. There was great content to digest and inspiring energy surrounding the event. We welcome you to join us in a special follow-up event to share how you are grown, where you are stuck, and what has been happening on your recovery journey since you viewed/attended the conference.
When: Sunday, September 25 @ 7 pm Eastern
Who: All WFS 2022 Conference Registrants (in person & on-demand)
Where: Wherever you are via Zoom (Zoom link sent to your conference registration email)
WFS is proud to announce the start of a new Zoom meeting!
wfsonline.org
“Feel Good Fridays”
Friday at 2:00 pm Eastern
Start Date: 7/29/2022
Please join us in extending our gratitude to the volunteer Certified Facilitator who has made the commitment to bring the New Life Program women virtually!
If you are feeling inspired to bring WFS to your local community or online, please review the requirements for becoming a Certified Facilitator and contact [email protected] for assistance.
After receiving design submissions, getting input from focus groups, and voting by WFS women the future logo has been selected. Join us online to see which one was selected and learn more about it.
WFS is excited to announce that our WFS Online community will be moving to a new, more user-friendly and feature-rich platform in the coming months. This new online community will have all the current content as well as some really great new features and improved functionality. Read more about the new platform here.
Introducing Joanne – WFS Volunteer Coordinator
Hi, My name is JoAnne O. I live in Millis, Massachusetts. I have been living in Recovery for just about 9 years. I have 4 young adult children and two loving dogs. I love spending time outdoors exploring new areas in my Jeep, and feel so very blessed to live close to the ocean, the mountains and everything in between! My background is in early childhood education and for many years I had the privilege of working with young children and families with special needs. The past 6 years I have been the volunteer coordinator for a non-profit Hospice, connecting patients and caregivers with volunteers and community resources. I am beyond excited to begin working with Women for Sobriety, Inc. and look forward to sharing time and space with women on their path to recovery.
JoAnne
WFS is Hiring!
WFS is hiring a full-time Program Manager. The Program Manager will oversee all day-to-day business operations of the corporation including planning, implementing, and maintaining efficient procedures for coordinating the organization’s various peer-support resources, managing official WFS events, and providing additional services such as the provision of free and sale literature and other materials. Applicants with diverse backgrounds and identities are encouraged to apply. This is a remote position open to anyone who lives in the US. Read more here.
Grab your popcorn & join us for a night of fun as we gear up for the 2022 Conferences. Do you remember how magical Conference 2021 was? Wouldn’t you like to be part of the behind the scenes effort? Join us to learn all about Conferences 2022 & get involved!!
Saturday, October 9, 7pm EDT
Log in to WFS Online to access the Zoom link or email [email protected]
New Meetings
WFS is pleased to announce new In-Person* and Regional Video Meetings. We thank the dedicated volunteers who bring the New Life Program to their community. Use the email address for the specific meeting to get meeting details.
WFS Strategic Plan – Our Mission, Vision and Values
Have you read the WFS Strategic Plan yet? Fundamental to this important work was clarification of the organization’s Vision and Mission, and articulation of its Values.
VISION
WFS envisions a world where individuals live mindful lives and take responsibility for their thoughts and actions.
MISSION
Through the New Life Program, WFS supports women seeking a sober life in recovery from problematic substance use.
VALUES
Compassion: WFS promotes empathy and caring for self and others.
Connection: WFS creates safe spaces where women support the expression of thoughts, feelings, and needs.
Empowerment: WFS encourages and celebrates women and their right to be their own unique individuals.
Love: WFS commits to authentic relationships defined by mutual value and worth.
Respect: WFS acts with integrity, honoring every woman’s experiences and ideas.
A longitudinal study of the comparative efficacy of Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, SMART Recovery, and 12-step groups for those with AUD.
Results tentatively suggest that WFS, LifeRing, and
SMART are as effective as 12-step groups for those with AUDs, and that this population has the best odds of success when committing to lifetime total abstinence. An optimal care plan may thus involve facilitating involvement in a broad array of mutual help groups and supporting abstinence motivation. Journal of Substance Abuse TreatmentThis Peer Alternatives for Addiction Study will be replicated soon in an additional PAL2 study. Keep an eye out for your opportunity to become a part of this important research!
