From forgiveness comes an empowering message

By Bella English
June 22, 2008

The year 2005 was perhaps the worst in Jenifer Hoffman's life. An athlete, she had finished the swim portion of a triathlon in Newburyport and then jumped on her bike. Heading downhill at 35 miles an hour, another biker bumped her, knocking her off her bike. Hoffman suffered a concussion, broken ribs, a shattered elbow, and lost five layers of skin on her left side. But somehow, she got back on the bike, finished the ride and the 5K run that followed - and then went to the hospital.

Ten days later she went for an evening walk around the block. It was her first "big outing" since the accident, recalls Hoffman. As she rounded the block, a neighbor's drunken son jumped out from behind a fence and assaulted her. Hoffman managed to break free and run into a nearby home.

A judge sentenced the man, who was already on probation, to two years in jail.

Then Hoffman did what most of us would consider a strange thing. She went to the other neighbors on the street and asked them to write letters to the judge asking for leniency.

"There were a lot of kids on our street," says Hoffman, who has three young children. "I knew he'd be angry after being in jail and that he would be coming back to live on our street. I thought it would be better for all of us if we gave him the opportunity to rehabilitate himself."

The neighbors finally agreed, and wrote their letters. The judge acquiesced. But the man had to wear an ankle monitor, could only leave home for work or therapy, and could not contact Hoffman or her family. He had to maintain regular contact with a probation officer.

"He got a job and is doing really well," says Hoffman, a chirpy, upbeat woman of 38.

After the assault, she was asked to serve on the board of the Jeanne Geiger Center for domestic violence in Newburyport. A stay-at-home mother, Hoffman began brainstorming for something unique that she could contribute.

And that's when she began her crusade to change the world, one T-shirt at a time.

In 2006, Emotional Armor was launched out of her home. Hoffman began with $2,000 and 60 messages she'd scribbled out and put on bright, fruit-colored T-shirts. She calls it a "lifestyle messaging company." Before long, one Newburyport shop was selling 60 shirts a day. Hospital gift shops picked up the line.

"Princess, Not in Need of Rescue," quickly became a top seller, as did, "My Scars Are My Favorite Tattoo," "Write Your Own Happy Ending," and "Happiness Is Free." Buoyed by the success of the shirts in boutiques on the North Shore, she expanded her line to include men, children, and infants. Among the baby mottoes are: "Destined for Greatness" and "Milk and Love. Any Questions?"

Hoffman kept none of the profits herself, instead channeling the money to the Jeanne Geiger Center and to a self-esteem program for elementary children in a Newburyport public school. If kids feel good about themselves, she reasons, they're less likely to turn to bullying and violence.

Last August, Hoffman and her family moved to Cohasset. On the soccer field one day, Hoffman met Tracy Thomas, another mother of three. Hoffman told her about Emotional Armor, and Thomas, who has a marketing and communications background, knew she'd found what she'd been looking for.

"Emotional Armor resonated with me because of my three daughters," says Thomas, 44. "My husband and I want them to be confident and compassionate." Thomas loved the concept, but could tell that Hoffman's venture needed some organizing. She signed on to become the unsalaried chief operating officer.

"Everyone who sees these has someone in their life they want to give one to," says Thomas, whose own girls wear the shirts all the time.

The line has now expanded to include whimsical belts with empowering messages engraved on the inside of the buckles, made by Scituate artist Jodi Dinatale. Emily Kuvin Jewelry Design of Newton makes beautiful necklaces for Emotional Armor with "love," "strength" and "beauty" among the engraved messages.

And recently, Hoffman had dozens of prototype sneakers designed by Saucony with messages on the back heels such as: "Tough Warrior Princess," "Just Breathe" and "Make Lemonade."

One of Hoffman's favorite messages is: "Off to Save the Dragon." It reminds her of her assailant. "If people are treated with love and kindness, they won't breathe fire," she says.

Each product comes with a card that explains that the net profits go to violence prevention and children's empowerment programs. "This company was founded on the unshakeable belief in the goodness of people. . . . Thank you for helping to remind all of us that the power of positive thinking and a kind heart can change lives."

Emotional Armor now operates out of Hoffman's Cohasset home, and so far on the South Shore, her products can be found in Ports & Company in town. She's turned down offers from large department stores, including Macy's, because "we'd get lost."

Hoffman, who speaks at colleges and schools about social entrepreneurship, hopes to take her self-esteem program from the Newburyport school to a Cohasset school, and then maybe statewide.

She recently designed a T-shirt for a very special occasion: the second annual Cohasset Triathlon to benefit juvenile diabetes. A year ago, triathlon participant Joe Lyons suffered a fatal heart attack during the swim portion. He was 38 and left a son, Sam, who has diabetes. His widow, Karen, will participate next Sunday with a 60-person Team Lyons.

Hoffman will be there, too, participating in a triathlon for the first time since her bike accident three years ago. The Team Lyons T-shirt says: "We Will Finish What You Started." As Hoffman would say, simple, yet empowering words.

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.