Essex County Community Organization

ECCO’s Restoration policy, which sets aside one week per month and one month per year for rejuvenation, has transformed our organization by allowing staff to focus on their personal and spiritual well-being. This shift, which challenges capitalist and Eurocentric work paradigms, helped us hire two organizers who chose ECCO for its commitment to holistic care. Despite this progress, our organizing pace remains intense, and staff often feel overwhelmed. In response, Rev. Bernadette’s role has been restructured to integrate Restoration’s spirit into our daily work, making it more life-giving and sustainable. With funding, we plan to evaluate our restorative practices at a retreat in 2025 and aim to make it an annual event.