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A Gift of Love
MOVING ON: Jermel Royal helps victims of domestic violence move on with furniture for a new home. (Courtesy of Jermel Royal)
Furnishing Healthy Homes for Abused Women
Jermel Royal realized through his social work with victims of domestic violence that financial dependence can often be an obstacle to leaving an abusive relationship. He started A Gift of Love to provide abused women with the furniture they need to start life in a new home.
A woman that Royal was helping said she was ready to leave an abusive relationship, but could not have her children sleeping on the floor of a bare apartment that she was unable to furnish.
“I told her, 'that's no problem,'” says Royal, but he soon realized, “I should know better than to make promises I can't keep.”
After calling around to various organizations, he realized no one was taking care of this seemingly minor obstacle. He scoured Craigslist for free furniture and used his own resources to buy some second-hand items. With Pando at the helm, Royal has been able to get volunteer movers and connections for funding.
What he needs most now is a space to put all the furniture, as his apartment is getting pretty crowded!
ICare-4-Me
HOLISTIC HEALING: Jazzmine Clark-Glover is growing along with her Pando Project, a comprehensive seminar series designed to help African-American women through the unique challenges they face. (Tara MacIsaac/The Epoch Times)
Holistic Healing for African-American Women
As a pre-med and sociology student at Boston College, Jazzmine Clarke-Glover began to see clearly the unique challenges facing African-American women.
“Every class I took, I would write about black women … black women in the media, black women in health, genetic make-up, the way we were socialized, [or] our portrayal in the media,” recalled Clarke-Glover.
Her Pando project is an eight-part seminar series that will coach African-American women through all aspects of life: self-worth, health, spirituality, education and career guidance, finances, relationships, beauty, and nutrition and fitness. Starting May 14, one seminar a month will provide women with motivational speakers, a plethora of resources, and a supportive environment.
Clarke-Glover has realized the keystone in an African-American woman's life is learning to care for herself before being able to provide real care for others, spawning the name ICare-4-Me.
"As ICare-4-Me is growing, Jazzmine is growing," said Clarke-Glover, who is benefiting from her project as much as any woman. She hopes to build a wellness center on the foundation laid by her Pando Project.
