Oshun's Garden began as a gathering space for Black women on Maryland's Eastern Shore when such spaces seemed almost nonexistent. Through those early days of connecting and assessing community needs, we found that so many in our community were struggling due to experiences of sexual violence and dating violence that had never truly been addressed. We learned that the approaches of traditional victim services providers weren't effectively reaching Black women and their prevention efforts hardly showed up in Black communities.
The Oshun's Garden Community Care Program seeks to provide crucial support to Black women navigating the aftermath of sexual or relationship violence through two core branches: the Community Care Fund and the Community Care Pantry.
→ The Community Care Fund: Provides financial assistance to help cover urgent needs such as emergency housing, food, transportation, and other critical expenses.
→ The Community Care Pantry: Provides essential items such as clothing, toiletries, and self-care products, ensuring that victims/survivors have access to basic necessities during difficult times.