I'm proud to be the new Director of Philanthropy for the honorable Julie Valentine Center in partnership with the admirable Shauna Galloway-Williams and her treasured team. In my new role, I've had the privilege of meeting with many devoted therapists, victim advocates, doctors, administration, our chaplain, and even some survivors.
I am in awe every day by the magnitude of what this outstanding team of highly intelligent, skilled, committed, and compassionate caregivers do. From the warm, helpful welcome you get when you walk in the door to the compassionate and comprehensive service provided, all details are carefully considered for our clients.
The dedicated JVC team works tirelessly to help rebuild the lives of children and adults stricken by sexual assault or abuse in our community so they can begin to heal. They are brave and uncompromising, and while the numbers of victims continue to rise, their strength doesn't wither. They collaborate daily with law enforcement, DSS, the Solicitor’s Office, Prisma, Bon Secours St. Francis, SCCADVASA, SCNCAC, and others to ensure our clients obtain the best critical care and guidance. They are giving the survivors their voice back, so that the healing can begin, and their circumstances don't have to dictate their destiny.
It's clear that our work would not be possible without the generous support of our donors, sponsors, local businesses, corporate community partners, tireless volunteers, and our invaluable Board of Directors. I'm eager to develop more mutually beneficial relationships so we can continue to educate the community and generate revenue to support our team's work and expand our services.
As Shauna so eloquently said my first week, "I actually hit the ground running for the Run2Overcome!" It was a week I will never forget, and if I had to live it over again, I would. Seeing the tireless JVC team make magic from so many moving parts and months of work was inspiring. It was one of the most successful events to date due to increased enrollment and revenue generated. Again, we are grateful to our invaluable volunteers, approximately 100, up early with our staff at 5am to make the event a success!
I feel so warmly welcomed by this team, and I'm confident we can continue to make a meaningful, much-needed difference in our community with your support. It's a privilege to do work that matters for people who genuinely care. I look forward to eventually meeting all of you to thank you for what you do!
Last but certainly not least, I look forward to sharing opportunities for you to get involved with JVC. Plans are already underway for our Holiday Assistance Program and the 2023 Julie Valentine Luncheon. Our annual "When Faith Hurts" conference will be October 12-14 at Furman; finally, back in person. Please consider registering for this powerful event. You will not want to miss it! The link to register is below.
