What is Compassionate Families...?

If you live in the Jacksonville area you already know how many non-profits are around every corner! I love finding out new places, but when I find a place like Compassionate Families I must tell the whole world about it!

Let me start by explaining what Compassionate Families is... This non-profit focuses on assisting homicide survivors. A survivor is any person who just lost a loved one due to crime and homicide. This ranges from mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, niece, uncle, aunt, friend, neighbor, and so on. A lot of people can be classified as a survivor.

How it Became...

Glen Mitchell and his wife Margaret Mitchell lost their beloved son during 1993. Due to this life changing tragedy, they decided to create this company to assist others during the same difficult circumstances. This non-profit consists of a staff that are all survivors. This sad connection brings together these amazing, hard working people. Although they endured the worst possible event, they now dedicate their lives to helping other families who are going through the same pain.

A Few Services Offered...

The staff goes to court cases, meetings, and homes, to offer support and love during this kind of trauma. I have not lost any family members to homicide, but to know that if I ever felt alone and did not know my rights or the law of Florida, how convenient that I can count on this non-profit to have my back. They even go as far as sending out birthday cards to the survivors on the birthday of the victim year after year. Compassionate Families is just that- it's a family and they will never let you believe that your loved one is forgotten. Never. The one exception is if someone requests to be left alone, for whatever reason, then of course they are given that respect.

There are several other services offered, but I plan to blog specifically about those events as the time gets closer. A few include survivor meetings, camp maddie, national crime victims' rights week, candlelight vigils and much more. (subscribe to me to keep updated!)

What Brings Me Here...

So, now that you're familiar with the company a little bit, you must wonder why I care so much if I am not a survivor or part of staff. Wellllll, the big news I have held out is that this Spring semester (January-May) I am interning here at Compassionate Families!!! I am here 3-4 days a week in beautiful Downtown Jacksonville. (126 W Adams Street) and I am loving every minuet as I learn more and more about the how to's in this non-profit.

They say 1 in every 20 people is somehow affected by homicide. Maybe that person is not you, but maybe you know someone. A co-worker, a neighbor, a friend or whoever, let them know about Compassionate Families if they do not know already. Normally, the company reaches out to the survivors instead of the survivors searching for us, but if somehow we missed a person, get the word out!

Search us on Facebook, Like us, and share this blog.

-ssr