founder of The Rise of Broken Women
When trying to combat homelessness in our cities and towns, there is no one more qualified to spearhead the process than those who have experienced it firsthand. I am one such person, and this is the system I have created.
Over the past 2 months, we at MAKARI have had the absolute pleasure of getting to know Charlee Newman, the founder of The Rise of Broken Women, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women and their families leave the cycle of poverty. Charlee is incredibly kind and passionate about her work and the work that she does is essential.
My system is designed to aid and empower. It consists of three primary steps:
• Supply to survive • teach to create, • and finally, connect to re-erect
I am Charlee S. Newman, Founder, Creator, and Visionary of the Rise of Broken Women.
The initial stage of rebuilding the broken is ensuring their survival by utilizing financial and material donations to supply their everyday needs. Only when you aren’t worried about where your next meal or necessity will come from are you able to take the next steps in your journey.
It all started when I found myself living on the streets of New York City for three days. I Would stand in front of this Chinese Restaurant because the businesspeople would drop their doggy bags into the trashcan. I would collect what they discarded for lunch and dinner. Eventually registered myself at a drop-in center where I lived for two years. These were the worst days of my life. I felt afraid of my surroundings, I was in constant fear, totally humiliated, deeply ashamed, angry, hurt and very alone. When you’re unable to keep yourself clean on a consistent basis, this destroys confidence, self-esteem, and some of us give up on life. Not only keeping yourself clean but keeping your clothing clean as well. Most of had no change of underwear or wore no underwear. We lacked basics like socks, outerwear, and toiletries. The dream that God sent me after all I had been through was that I am alive because He was preparing me for this intended purpose, He intended for me to continue. This was so brilliantly portrayed as an artist painting a portrait with pain and a slight sigh of relief. The relief I would feel, would be the drastic steps I would have to take by creating what I captivated in the dream that I saw. I was to start this venture alone by sharing my journey where I’ve been and what I intend to do with the knowledge I’ve gained. Through care, hope and support I would try to reverse some of the pain, the separation from life, which leads to isolation, depression and segregation – all things that I had felt. After a while you become invisible. No one hears or sees you because they don’t want to be involved. I have seen how the system failed me and my fellow women. Now, I use my time to ensure that homeless and low-income women and their families get what they need to rise above their circumstances and live their best lives. Because I am the Rise of Broken Women.
The second stage the Rise of Broken Women focuses on is the education of homeless, impoverished, and at-risk women.
I started the Work Reacclimating Internship Program, a workshop for basic computer training. This sixteen-week program will help these women build in-demand skillsets that are necessary for the modern workplace and are attractive to potential employers. Through monetary aid from corporate and individual donors, we are able to provide essential training in a variety of fields, all necessary to the community. That makes these women feel relevant. It gives them confidence. It allows them to look to the final stage: connecting. The second half of our internship program is dedicated to helping the members of our program build their resumes, learn how to conduct themselves during interviews, and search for jobs. Using our network and the connections our interns have made for themselves, they are able to re-connect with the community and rebuild their lives. By using this structure, by giving these women and their families the chance they deserve, we can break the cycle of poverty while strengthening our communities and bringing the forgotten back into the fold.
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I Rise. I have Risen. I Rose.
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