A Season of Growth

Can you feel it? Spring has arrived, and the world is coming back to life! The trees are greening and the air is full of possibility! We hope you were able to slow down on Easter and spend the day with people you love or simply take some time for yourself to rest and recharge.

Here at New Opportunity School for Women, we are riding that same wave of fresh energy! We just returned from an incredible leadership retreat with some of our graduates. The growth and connection that we witnessed were nothing short of inspiring! We wasted no time jumping back in, kicking off our third Three-Day Non-Residential Session of the year, yesterday, and we are looking forward to wrapping up our three-part Financial Workshop series with our graduate group at the end of the month.

It is a season of growth around here in every sense of the word, and we are so glad you are with us for it!

Grants & Funding Updates

We are deeply grateful for the generous support of the foundations and organizations that believe in the mission of NOSW. This month, we are proud to recognize the following funders whose contributions make our work possible:

Gifts like these allow us to continue providing life-changing programming free of charge to the women we serve. We are honored by this support and committed to putting every dollar to work for our mission.

The moment we've been waiting for has arrived!

The Appalachian Sisterhood: The Power of Transformation
is officially here!

This quarterly magazine has been a dream in the making, and we are so excited to finally share it with you. Each issue features powerful, first-person stories from NOSW graduates; honest, courageous accounts of the challenges they've faced and the strength they've found within themselves. These are the real women behind our mission, and their stories deserve to be heard.

The Appalachian Sisterhood is available in both electronic and print versions, and subscriptions are donation-based. You choose the amount that works for you. Every subscription helps us continue empowering women across Kentucky and Appalachia while bringing these important stories to light.

Don't miss the inaugural issue. Subscribe today and step into the lives of the women whose transformations prove what's possible when we invest in each other. This is the first issue of something truly special! We don't want you to miss any part of it, so join us now, from the very beginning.

Subscribe now and be among the first to read it!

Sponsor The Appalachian Sisterhood and Invest in Appalachian Women

Would you consider sponsoring an issue of our new quarterly magazine? Sponsorship helps keep NOSW's programming accessible and barrier-free for the women who need it most, and it's a meaningful way to show that your business stands behind women's education and workforce readiness in Appalachia.

For sponsorship options and deadlines, please reply to this email with Subject line 'Magazine Sponsorship'. We'd love to have you with us!

To stay up to date with NOSW News, click the button below to go to the News page on our website.

Berea Farmers' Market

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of setting up a table at the Berea Farmers' Market! It was a beautiful day and a wonderful opportunity to connect with our community, share what NOSW is all about, and have some great conversations with women who may be ready to take their next step. We love any chance to get out among the people we serve and remind them that we are here. If you saw us out there, it was so great to meet you!

Future of Possibilities Conference

On April 22nd, our Executive Director, Angel Short, and Program Director, Crystal Burton, attended the inaugural Future of Possibilities Conference at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky.

This incredible event brought together leaders, educators, and changemakers from across the region to explore how education can serve as a catalyst for community growth and opportunity. Angel and Crystal came home inspired, connected, and full of fresh ideas to bring back to the work we do here at NOSW!

Rooted & Rising Leadership Retreat '26

The second week of April, we had the joy of taking eight of our incredible graduates to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for our annual Rooted & Rising Leadership Retreat!

Rooted & Rising is a four-day servant leadership experience designed specifically for NOSW graduates, giving them the space to go deeper and step boldly into their next chapter.

Throughout the retreat, participants focused on clarifying their values, building trust within themselves and with one another, and developing a personal plan for moving forward with purpose and intention. They left with tools, direction, and a sisterhood that will continue long after the retreat ended. We are so proud of these women, and we cannot wait to see everything they do next!

Pictured From Left to Right: (Top Row) Lillie Burton, Hailey Yett, Egypt Turley, Katie Campbell, Maggie Risner, (Bottom Row) Karen Morales, Candy Solez, Crystal Sizemore

Bloom Where You Are Hidden

From March 30th through April 6th, NOSW partnered with Foley's Florist and Gifts to bring a town-wide flower scavenger hunt to Berea!

Flowers were hidden daily at over 50 participating businesses, and the community showed up in the most beautiful way. Families explored together, local businesses were supported, and the excitement was contagious all week long.

Winners were announced in a live drawing on April 6th, and the smiles said it all. Thank you to Foley's, every participating business, and everyone who came out to bloom right where they are!

Easter Eggstravaganza at Lake Reba

What a beautiful day it was for some of the NOSW team at Lake Reba for the Easter Eggstravaganza on the 4th! Richmond Parks and Recreation put on quite an event! If you were unable to come out this year, you won't want to miss it next year!

While the little ones enjoyed the egg hunts and had a blast with all of the goodies our table had to offer, we had the joy of connecting with so many wonderful people, sharing what NOSW is all about, and sparking conversations with women who may be ready to take their next step. Community events like this one remind us why we do what we do, and we are already looking forward to the next one!

Happy Birthday, Jane Stephenson!

On April 2nd, we celebrated the birthday of our beloved founder, Jane Stephenson! Jane's dream, planted nearly 40 years ago, has grown into a program that has served thousands of women all across Kentucky and Appalachia, and we simply could not be where we are today without her. We are so grateful for everything she started and everything she continues to inspire.

If you would like to honor Jane with a birthday gift to NOSW, know that every dollar will be put to good use as we gear up for our first Two-Week Residential Session of the year, beginning in June!

Trunk or Hop at Texas Roadhouse

The Easter spirit was in full swing on March 30th when we joined Texas Roadhouse in Richmond for their fun, family-friendly "Trunk or Hop" event!

Alongside local businesses, inflatables, candy, dessert trunks, and even the Easter Bunny himself, we set up our table and had a wonderful time connecting with the community.

It was a great opportunity to share our mission and meet new faces who may not have heard of NOSW before. Events like this one are such a joy, and we love any chance to get out and connect with the people around us!

May Three-Day Non-Residential Session

Our May Three-Day Non-Residential Session is just around the corner, and we would love to have you join us! This is a wonderful opportunity to grow, connect, and take a meaningful step forward in a supportive environment.

Please make a note anywhere on your application that you would like to attend the May Three-Day Session. Applications must be submitted by May 1st, so don't wait!

Mark Your Calendars: Kentucky Gives Day is Coming!

May 12th is Kentucky Gives Day; a 24-hour statewide celebration of generosity that brings our community together to support the causes that matter most.

We're inviting you to be part of it! The donation window opens May 1st and runs through midnight on May 12th, giving you nearly two weeks to make your gift and support the women we serve.

Your donation helps us continue our life-changing work: residential sessions, three-day programs, graduate support, and community events that empower women across Kentucky and Appalachia to build confidence, develop skills, and create brighter futures.

Save the dates: May 1–12

We'll send more details as Kentucky Gives Day approaches, but for now, mark your calendar and get ready to make an impact.

Together, we're creating pathways to opportunity and lasting change. Thank you for being part of this mission!

Community Outreach at Walmart Berea

On Wednesday, May 13th, you can find us outside of Walmart in Berea from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM! If you are out shopping, stop by our table to learn more about NOSW, grab some information about our programs, and if you feel moved to support our mission, we will gladly accept donations on the spot. We would love to see a familiar face, so come say hello!

MEAT and Greet Community Picnic

Just around the corner, so it's time to mark your calendars for May 23!

NOSW and Hope's Wings are teaming up for a fun, family-friendly afternoon you won't want to miss. Join us for great food, free activities, and a chance to support two organizations making a real difference in our community.

At this event you will have the opportunity to participate in raffles for locally farmed MEAT cuts, as well as other homemade Appalachian goodies, such as jellies, jams, butters, desserts, work works, decorative pieces, etc. We hope to see you there!

Deadline for our June Two-Week Residential Session is May 15.

Are you ready to do something truly for YOU?

Applications are still open for NOSW's 2026 Residential Programs, but don't delay! The deadline of May 15 is quickly approaching. If you or someone you know is ready to take a bold step toward a brighter future, we encourage you to apply. This is a life-altering opportunity, and you deserve it.

Not quite ready for a full Residential Program? We hear you, and we still have something for you. Our Three-Day Non-Residential Sessions are open for most months in 2026 and offer a powerful first step toward the change you're feeling called to make. Take that leap of faith. Do it for YOU!

Visit the "What We Do" tab on our website to explore everything NOSW has to offer or click the button below to apply today!

Your 5-Minute Reset

Life gets busy, and it's easy to keep pushing even when your mind and body are begging for a break. Next time you feel the stress creeping in, try this simple five-minute reset and give yourself the pause you deserve.

Breathe deeply. Slow your breathing down by inhaling through your nose for 4 seconds, holding for 2, and exhaling through your mouth for 6 seconds. Run through this cycle five times and notice how much calmer you feel.

Put the screen down. Step away from your phone or computer for a few minutes. Walk to another room, pour yourself a glass of water, or get a little fresh air. Your brain will thank you.

Move your body. Get up and stretch! Reach your arms up, roll your shoulders back, and gently twist side to side. Even one minute of movement can lift your mood and get your blood flowing again.

Check in with yourself. Pause and ask yourself how you're feeling and what you need in this moment. Name it out loud or in your head, then take one small step toward giving yourself just that.

Drink water and grab a snack. Sometimes a foggy, drained feeling is simply your body asking for fuel. Drink a full glass of water and reach for something with a little protein and fiber, like nuts, an apple with peanut butter, or a cheese stick.

We hope you will try this little reset. Right now, even! The beauty of it is that five minutes is something we can all find, and the more consistently you build it into your daily routine, the greater the benefits become. Over time, small intentional pauses like this one can lower your overall stress levels, reduce cortisol in your body, improve your focus, and leave you feeling more like yourself. You deserve to feel well, and sometimes the smallest steps make the biggest difference.

Hartford HealthCare. (2026, January 4). How to Reset Your Day in Just Five Minutes. St. Vincent’s Medical Center. https://stvincents.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleId=68877#:~:text=According%20to%20Mehak%20Gandhi%2C%20MD%2C%20primary%20care,your%20feet%20back%20to%20stretch%20your%20legs

To view a full calendar of our 2026 schedule and events, please visit www.nosw.org/calendar/