We Are Brave Together’s Retreat Scholarships
from Jessica Patay
Our retreats are magical, if I do say so myself. Just imagine taking 48 hours off of all your mom duties. No shoulds. No to-do lists. No being up all night. No morning or nighttime routines and kids to wrestle into their beds. Imagine being in a beautiful location, with comfy beds, yummy food, and a room full of loving, supportive, caring women who automatically “get you” and validate you. Oh, and you receive a goodie bag when you arrive. Surprise!
“Dear Jessica, I know you are trying to make this affordable, but I do not even have that amount of money to go to a retreat.” This was back in 2018, our second year running retreats.
After I heard so honestly and candidly from this mom, I went to my Board and said, “We HAVE to start a scholarship fund. We HAVE to. This is why we created We Are Brave Together. To give moms desperate for respite, an actual break from caregiving.” My Board agreed, of course. “Let’s fundraise and make this happen in 2019.” And so we did.
For every retreat that we offer, we give away 3-4 scholarships. Every retreat. If you are the recipient, this covers your retreat fee, which currently is $200 per mom. It covers housing, food, snacks, speaker sessions and goodie bags. For each retreat a NEW group of moms are able to access our scholarships.
The application process is simple: Complete an application and turn it in by the deadline, which is usually 1-2 weeks prior to Retreat Registration Day. We simply ask this of our applicants:
Please write a one paragraph testimonial of what being a member of WABT has meant to you, in your journey as a mom caring for a child with a disability or other special health-care needs. OR write a paragraph about your need for respite and what you look forward to in attending this weekend retreat. Send it in via email hello@wearebravetogether.org.
That is all. We do not ask for your personal financial information. We do not require references. All we ask is for an honest sharing of your story and how WABT has impacted your day to day life in the trenches of altered motherhood. We cannot WAIT to give these away. It is our joy. It is our calling. It is our duty to provide these opportunities for moms who otherwise might not be willing or able to get some rest, relaxation, inspiration and connection. We must and we will. Our hope in WABT is that we will continue to have so many amazing donors to enable us to offer a retreat each month and all over the country. And then a few more. And then a few more.
If you are in need of a retreat, DO NOT BE SHY. Just apply. We can’t wait to hear from you.