SASSY Sister!

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! As I always remind you, without mental wellness, there is no wellness, so please take time to recharge in whatever way feels right for you. Check out my article, "Strong, Self-Assured, and Unstoppable: A Woman’s Guide to Mental Wellness" below for some helpful tips.

I also want to wish all moms, whether for humans or pets, a very Happy Mother’s Day! Please remember that you matter.

And now the moment we have all been waiting for…drum roll please...

Please save the date for the 25th Anniversary John & Elizabeth’s Toy Drive Gala on November 16, 2026, proudly presented by the beautiful Beach House Fort Lauderdale, a Hilton Resort.

This will be one of the most special and meaningful evenings of the year as we celebrate 25 years of bringing hope and joy to children throughout our community. Be ready to secure your seat when registration opens. You will not want to miss this unforgettable celebration.

This milestone means more than I can put into words. It is honestly hard to believe that what began as a small gathering in our home with my late husband, John, has grown into one of the largest toy drives in South Florida, impacting more than 90,000 children. Yes, 90,000 children!

It really does take a village to make something this impactful possible, and I could not feel more blessed or grateful for every person who has walked alongside us on this journey to ensure that children in our community feel seen, valued, and cared for.

This year, alongside our partners at the Fort Lauderdale Black Police Officers Association, our goal is to bring hope and joy to 10,000 elementary students in Title I Broward County Public Schools. To reach this goal, we need our village to come together once again.

Here’s how you can help:

• Donate: https://sslwomen.org//donate/ (we can purchase toys in bulk and tax-free)

• Sponsors

• Collection partners (businesses and organizations)

• In-kind sponsors (music, event planning, décor, centerpieces, wine)

• Silent auction item donors

• Volunteers (event support, sorting, wrapping, distribution)

I invite you to stand with me in continuing John’s legacy. Your support, in any form, truly means the world to me and to the children we serve. Together, we are not just giving toys, we are creating moments of learning, joy, belonging, and hope that stay with a child long after the holidays have passed.

Please reply to this email if you would like to be part of this milestone year.

Also, be sure to check out our new segment under our Community Highlights section, “Out and About with Dr. King,” where I’ll be sharing highlights from special events and meaningful community connections throughout the month. I am especially honored to share that I recently received the Legacy of Impact Humanitarian Award from Broward College, a recognition that was incredibly meaningful to me as a proud Broward Community College Class of ’87 alum.

Wishing you a meaningful May and a beautiful Mother’s Day!

In gratitude,

Dr. Elizabeth King

Founder & Chief Inspiration Officer

Strong, Self-Assured, and Unstoppable: A Woman’s Guide to Mental Wellness

By: Dr. Elizabeth King, LCSW, CHt

There is a particular kind of power in a woman who knows herself, unapologetically. It is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like saying no without explanation. Sometimes it looks like walking away. Sometimes it is choosing peace over proving a point and truly meaning it.

Mental wellness is not a luxury reserved for spa days or aesthetic morning routines. It is the foundation. Yet women are often handed a script that says be everything to everyone, hold it all together, and never let anything slip. It is exhausting, and frankly, it is outdated. It is time to rewrite that story.

Protecting Your Inner Space

Your mind is not a battlefield you are required to win every day. It is a space that deserves care. That means paying attention to what drains you just as much as what energizes you. The one-sided friendships. The job that values your output more than your well-being. The inner voice that sounds suspiciously like your harshest critic. All of it deserves your awareness and, when necessary, your boundaries.

Confidence is often confused with certainty. It is not about always knowing. Real confidence is trusting that you will figure it out. It is the quiet belief that you can adapt, recover, and begin again if you need to. That is resilience, and it is powerful.

Rest Is Essential

Let’s talk about rest, because too many women treat it like something they have to earn. Rest is not a reward for burnout. It is essential. You do not need to justify being tired. You do not need to make your exhaustion productive to make it valid. You are allowed to pause simply because you need to.

Life will still be messy. Stress will still show up uninvited. Mental wellness does not mean you are untouched by it all. It means you are equipped. It means knowing when to step back, when to ask for help, when to laugh, and when to say this is no longer serving me.

Strength, Boundaries, and Self-Respect

There is strength in softness, even if the world has tried to convince you otherwise. Being self-assured does not mean being closed off. You can be kind and still have boundaries. You can be empathetic and still choose yourself. In fact, the women who are truly strong are often the ones who refuse to let life harden them.

Not everyone will like the version of you who prioritizes her mental wellness. The version of you who sets boundaries and stops overextending will make some people uncomfortable. Let them sit with that. You are not here to be easily digested. You are here to be whole, unapologetically.

Protect Your Peace

Take up space. Protect your peace like it matters, because it does. Check in with yourself as often as you check in with others. Being strong is not about carrying everything. It is about knowing what is yours to carry and having the courage to set the rest down.

Unstoppable does not mean unbreakable. It means you keep going, wiser and more grounded each time, with your sense of self intact. That is real power.

“The Silent Struggle: Understanding the Emotional Impact of Infertility”

by Yvonne Haase, LMHC

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