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About Us
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Brenda J.
Co-Founder/President

I am a survivor of physical (domestic violence), emotional, verbal and spiritual abuse and understand the pain, psychological and physical damage to your body that abuse and trauma create. The family unit is also negatively impacted by abuse and trauma which I still experience. Cultural differences greatly impact relationships and I was in an interracial marriage for 22 years and have 3 biracial children.
My story is extreme, and my goal for establishing this non-profit is so that no one will stay in a marriage or relationship that is abusive in any way. If I can help even one person heal or escape an abusive situation, the pain and suffering experienced will be worth it. My healing journey includes medical doctors, chiropractors, pain clinics, counselors, therapists, pastors, coaches, and groups and I am still a work in progress.

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Karen B.
Co-Founder/Secretary

I am a former home-schooling and now working, Single Mom. I have a passion for helping others recognize and survive destructive relationships and spiritual abuse. I'm a Victim's Advocate-in-training and Mending The Soul Facilitator.
I met Brenda when facilitating a Mending The Soul group. The Mending The Soul Book, group, and training were instrumental in helping me connect the dots to some of my past choices. My relationship with God is more real, authentic, and passionate than ever before. It's been a journey, and a lot of untangling from spiritual abuse. I'm fervent about helping others on their healing journey.

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“JET” JoAnn E. Trudeau
Advisory Board Member/Treasurer

The Lord has given me a heart for the homeless and single moms in need. For the past 25 years, I have been serving both communities. I have been a monthly contributor and listener of the Hanging On To Hope podcast. I am an active member of my church and lead a weekly Bible study table for women. I am honored and excited to be part of the board of Hanging On To Hope.

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Mandy L. Hall
Advisory Board Member

For over two decades, I've dedicated my career to the non-profit sector, focusing on providing wraparound and tangible support to families in need. My experience with pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and those fleeing domestic violence has shown me the critical impact of removing crises and enabling families to make empowered decisions. I am honored to serve on the Hanging On To Hope board and support its crucial mission in providing frontline awareness and immediate help to those in need.

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Nycole Wilkins
Advocate/Support Specialist

I have always had a heart for helping those in need. In my previous career of 19 years I worked in the field of mental health/drug & alcohol counseling and social work. Meeting the mental, emotional, psychological and physical needs of others is so important. I am grateful that the Lord has allowed me to not only be a supporter of the Hanging Onto Hope Podcast but also a guest on the show to help aid in my healing and personal growth from neglect & abuse. The journey to healing is so important. I am proud of the work Hanging Onto Hope is doing and honored to continue to work with them to be a part of helping others find help and healing too.

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Shelley B.
Advocate/Job and Life Skills Coach

I am a passionate advocate for women and children, dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic abuse and strengthening communities through compassion, faith, and service. As a survivor and single mother, I use my journey to inspire hope, healing, and forgiveness. Through advocacy, mentorship, and outreach, I help others find their voice, rebuild confidence, and rediscover purpose. As a cosmetologist and career coach, I also support women and children in restoring self-esteem and developing the skills they need to thrive.

Primary Volunteers

Brenda has put in over 5000 hours of her time for the podcast alone with editing, preparing, creating, writing, scheduling, co hosting, social media, promoting, and branding. Karen has also put in close to 2000 hours of her time scheduling, preparing, writing, and co-hosting the podcast. Brenda and Karen have volunteered thousands of hours of their time advocating and giving back to their local communities.

Shelters

A dream of many Phoenix-based nonprofits that focus on assisting domestic abuse victims is to start a shelter. This dream will be a reality with the community and financial support we need. Any shelter project will require most of Brenda's time as her area of expertise in commercial and residential real estate will require thousands of hours of identifying, renovating, funding, coordinating, and managing this project to completion.