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Guests can look forward to a purpose-filled evening supporting local at-risk youth, opening with socializing and refreshments, a special art activity, a 50-50 raffle and other prizes, followed by a 6:30pm award recognition ceremony honoring community partners and volunteers.  

“People can make a real difference in the lives of the children of Rhode Island by collaborating with us,” said Gail Ahlers, Founder and Executive Director of The Empowerment Factory (TEF). Ahlers often encourages community members to become more involved through volunteerism, advocacy, and general support.

“We are at a pivotal time in the evolution of our organization as we strive to help more children with quality programming,” she said. “We invite you to get involved by attending the annual meeting. It’s a great opportunity to discover more about how we change the trajectory of children’s lives in a positive direction.”

Natalie Benkovich, President of The Empowerment Factory Board of Directors, said, “In the next decade, TEF is poised to elevate the quality and scope of its programs providing children throughout Rhode Island with the skills they need to lead happier, healthier, more empowered lives. TEF promotes creativity, self-esteem, and civic pride, while helping children from low-income areas to feel seen and able to play an integral role in the world.”

Additional board members include: Judy Cepeda, Vice President, Melissa Hamlin, Treasurer; Karen King, Secretary, Alicia Fernandez; Julianne Brown; Lucia Bernice Delaroca; Lysa Teal; Stephen Larbi; Hope Ricciotti. 

This year’s honorees are:

Community Partner:
TEF is honoring Old Slater Mill, part of the Blackstone River Valley National Park, for their partnership to offer summertime field trips to 400 Pawtucket elementary students to this national historic landmark. Old Slater Mill is considered the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Check out the video about this field trip on YouTube.

Community Champion:
Sandra Cano, former Director of Commerce for the City of Pawtucket, has been a steady friend and supporter of The Empowerment Factory since the organization was established a decade ago. She served as a Rhode Island State Senator for District 8 and as Chair for the Education and International Women’s Day Committees. She is known as a strong proponent of Pawtucket education, particularly among multilingual learners.

Volunteer of the Year:
Allison Soriano is valued for her commitment and dedication to programming and outreach. She is an asset to the team in the office and at our popular Art in the Park events. 

Young Artists: 
Marium and Ibrahim Ansari, Pawtucket residents and elementary students, are being recognized for their participation and persistence in creative endeavors at Art in the Park and Nature Drawing programming. TEF staff and volunteers are enthusiastic about their continued creative journey.

Founded in 2014 by Gail Ahlers, Executive Director and ‘Ambassador of Joy,’ The Empowerment Factory (TEF), provides Rhode Island youth with a wide range of enrichment programs to encourage every child to feel they matter and can make a difference in the world. TEF has created solid partnerships with a range of school, youth and government organizations to conduct in-school, after school and summer learning for Rhode Island elementary students with a focus on Pawtucket, Central Falls and Providence, where two-thirds of children live below the poverty line. School programming combined with well-attended community events, TEF’s mission has had a positive impact on more than 8,000 youth, primarily from underserved communities.

Participate in the Scavenger Walk Sept. 1-7 along the Baldwin Loop Walking Path and scan QR codes along the way to complete activities, learn fun historic facts, and earn raffle tickets drawn at the end of the week. There are 16 stops along the 2-mile walk, each highlighting a different piece of historic Pawtucket and featuring a talented local artist.  

Learn more: https://empowermentfactory.org/event/scavenger-walk/  

For the last decade, The Empowerment Factory nonprofit has been known as a hub of positivity and creativity among RI families. The nonprofit is dedicated to giving children the skills they need to live happier, healthier, more empowered lives through hands-on art and literacy programming.  

TEF’s founder, Gail Ahlers, expressed her excitement about this year’s event, stating, “We are thrilled to celebrate eight years of promoting health and wellness in our community. The Healthy Living Community Event is a day where everyone can come together, learn, and have fun while making positive choices for their lives. We look forward to another successful event and to continuing our mission of youth empowerment.” 

Families are welcomed to join in the fun at their 8th Annual Healthy Living Community Event, part of the Pawtucket Arts Festival, for an accessible and engaging introduction into the exciting world of artmaking. The day is sure to be filled with opportunities to form lasting family memories as kids get to learn new ways to think and express themselves creatively with help from experienced local artists and RISD art students.  

Learn about local wildlife with a guided step-by-step animal drawing instruction from wildlife experts and artists.  

Join a special printmaking workshop using a real, antique printing press and positive affirmations supervised by The Empowerment Factory staff. 

Do yoga in the park with multiple intermittent sessions from Satsang Yoga instructors doing gentle movements, breathing, and meditation for kids and beginners. 

And many more activities are in store! 

All The Empowerment Factory activities are completely free and open to the public- building community, growing children’s confidence in themselves, and empowering youth with the skills to succeed in school and in life. 

The 10th Anniversary Celebration will be held at The MET on Main Street in Pawtucket on May 22, 2024, from 6pm to 9pm. This will be a fun night with live music from The New Providence Big Band refreshments, a silent auction, raffles, and refreshments.

The online silent auction will open April 22 with exciting items such as zoo memberships, personal fitness classes, spa packages and more. Items will continue to be added so be sure to check back. 

“As a small non-profit, we are nimble,” Ahlers said, “TEF is uniquely positioned to be nimble and responsive to the needs of our community. The Empowerment Factory has been extraordinarily successful in serving our constituents’ needs because of this ability. I look forward to celebrating 10 years of empowering our children to understand that they are capable of reaching for their dreams and living happy and successful lives,” said Gail Ahlers, founder and Executive Director of TEF. 

The Empowerment Factory is a non-profit providing programming and events for K-8 students focused in Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Providence. 

TEF’s unique approach to supporting at-risk students is achieved through enrichment programming that uses a blend of social emotional learning, art, literacy, and environmental education to engage children in learning. Over the 10 years TEF has been serving its community, it has provided more than 7,000 youth with an opportunity to explore and benefit from a positive learning trajectory.