Member Spotlight

About

The Sherri Denese Jackson Foundation for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Inc. (SDJF) – a Greensboro-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization was founded on June 26, 2008, on behalf of Sherri’s mother, Clara Jackson, who hoped no mother would experience the pain of losing a daughter to domestic violence, as she did. The foundation is committed to helping survivors and victims of domestic violence heal, and live trauma-free. Through generous donations, the Sherri Denese Jackson Foundation provides programs and emergency shelter for victims and survivors, free of charge.

Our mission is to prevent and stop domestic violence by creating awareness and offering preventative tools within communities on the local, state and national levels. The Vision of the SDJF is to create a safe environment where domestic violence victims, survivors and their families are loved and treated with respect. We seek to erase the stigma connected to domestic violence in our society.

The organization has an impressive local, state and national footprint. In 2010, when just a 2 year young nonprofit, the SDJF became the first “Community Foundation Greater Greensboro’s Women To Women Initiative” grant recipient. Additionally, the organization was awarded with the United Way COVID-19 Relief Funds 2020 and a Guilford Nonprofit Assistance Grant.

Since, the organization has impacted the lives of thousands through the kindness of generous donors. The Foundation works closely with local advocates, women groups and organizations such as the Women Resource Center, YWCA, Human Relations Commission and Guilford County Family Justice Center. “Paint The City Purple™”, its trademark domestic violence awareness campaign, is gaining recognition, nationwide. Sherri’s untold story of “Passion Turned Deadly” first aired on TV One’s Fatal Attraction, January 8, 2018. The story was also featured on Oxygen, Buried in the Backyard “Tangled Web” first aired on May 27, 2019. And most recently, her story premiered on Investigation Discovery Network on June 11, 2020, Dead Reckoning “Hidden Evil”.

Learn more on our website www.sdjfnc.org HELPLINE (336) 510-9292 or sdjfnc@gmail.com.

Did you know?

The Sherri Denese Jackson Foundation for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Inc. is celebrating our 12th Year Anniversary and the 5th Annual Paint the City Purple Campaign beginning Monday, October 26, 2020 and ending on Saturday, November 7, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has had caused a more urgent need of bringing awareness to this senseless abuse. During the COVID-19 pandemic we have been offering emergency shelter since May 2020 to over 100 victims in crisis.

This year, we are introducing TruthSpeaks our Domestic Violence Support Group which will provide support to victims of domestic violence and survivors. TruthSpeaks is a safe place for individuals to express their fears, pains, hopes and desires. We will assist with better thinking methods, goal setting and how to take action to achieve those goals. We will look at perception and how we experience life in order to be educated and empowered removing the stigma associated with feeling like a victim. Our support group is here to serve the broken by helping them gather the pieces to put their lives together. All while regaining their self-esteem and confidence. We will be serving 7 victims in our first meeting in our downtown office on November 4th, 2020. Call our HELPLINE 336-510-9292 to learn more about how to register.

Paint the City Purple Campaign is a local awareness campaign brought to you by the Founder and the Board of Directors in hopes of successfully collaborating with city, county officials, area schools, colleges, local community, businesses and public and private organizations to help us Paint Greensboro Purple. The purpose of the Paint the City Purple Campaign is to encourage healthy relationships and to end domestic violence locally, nationally and globally.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, during this time people across the country celebrate the escape from a volatile situations, they mourn the loss of love ones who lost their lives from intimate partner violence, and they spread awareness by displaying the color purple throughout the month of October purposefully sending a strong message that there is no place for domestic violence in our city or county, neighborhoods, schools, or workplaces. It is time for the community to come together and say NO MORE.

Domestic violence is one of the most widespread and dangerous health and safety challenges in our community today. This October, we are inviting you to help us Paint Greensboro Purple in observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Domestic violence is an insidious crime that can be prevented. In order to do so, the entire community must be educated and engaged. All of us have a stake in creating healthy relationships, families, and communities.

During this two week campaign we want to reach out to the community to:
(1) Demonstrate the city’s commitment to the domestic violence issue
2) Gain media attention, bring awareness to the city
(3) Form collaborations to streamline and improve services to victims
(4) Enlist the community in changing their attitude towards the stigma of domestic violence
(5) Increase community awareness and advocacy

As of September 6th, this year in North Carolina, 44 people have lost their lives at the hands of an intimate partner. Domestic violence was an epidemic before COVID-19, with nearly one in four women and one in seven men reporting that they experience violence from their spouse or partner in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, the virus has dramatically intensified the problem. While home was supposed to be a safe place to go during the lockdown, it was even more dangerous for victims of domestic violence to be isolated and alone with their abusers. Reports of abuse have skyrocketed in the U.S. and around the world. It is unacceptable for people to feel unsafe in their homes. Domestic violence impacts us all. When we are unsafe in our homes, we are unsafe in our communities, therefore, we have to come together to stop domestic violence because our future depends on it.

We are in our new location in the Self-Help building downtown to better serve victims escaping from an unsafe situation. Our operating hours are currently Monday – Wednesday from 9am – 3pm. We strongly urge individuals to make appointments by calling our HELPLINE 336-510-9292. Currently we are establishing new relationships and are now seeking Board Members for 2020-2022. If you are interested in being a catalyst to spread awareness, prevention and education about domestic violence we urge you to apply via https://www.sdjfnc.org/volunteer-application.html. If you would like to donate to assist us in spreading awareness please visit sdjfnc.org and click on the donate now button.

Why Greensboro?

Greensboro has a strong sense of community. Here in Greensboro people help people. It’s the perfect place to build a rapport with the city and spread the awareness of domestic violence. Our Founder/Executive Director Portia Shipman has been the voice for the voiceless for over 12 years. Although born and raised in Greensboro, the city of Greensboro choose Portia Shipman by way of Sherri and her violent death. Ms. Shipman has done some incredible work with the city and the county in human and civil rights for its marginalized citizens for over 30 years.