“How many people can say that their grandmother started a nonprofit organization?”
These are the words of Camalot Todd. She’s a descendant of JBWS’ first president and co-founder, Judy Todd. While Camalot grew up hearing stories about her grandmother’s generosity and resiliency, the pair never actually met.
“My grandmother died when my dad was 9 years old, a decade before I was born,” recalls Camalot. “However, I spent a lot of time with my great-grandmother and she told me that my grandmother was involved in starting a nonprofit for victims of domestic violence in New Jersey.”
As Camalot got older, she became more and more interested in her grandmother’s story. A survivor of domestic violence herself, Judy felt compelled to help others stuck in similar, devastating situations. This was uniquely inspiring to Camalot due to her own personal experiences growing up.
“When we look at the cycle of abuse, it’s often generational,” explains Camalot. “I know [my grandmother] experienced domestic violence and I also grew up in a very unstable home environment and experienced domestic violence as a child.”
While Camalot was ultimately adopted into a loving, supportive family after enduring this abuse, she couldn’t shake the connection she felt with her grandmother. This led her to visit JBWS and learn more about the services provided at our organization.
“When my grandmother started out, I don’t think she had these ambitions to help thousands of people,” says Camalot. “I think she was just like, ‘Hey, this is a problem, and we need to do something about it.’ So, she did.”
Since Judy Todd co-founded JBWS in 1976, the organization has grown exponentially and now has countless staff members, donors, and volunteers dedicated to helping those impacted by domestic violence.
“As we go through the course of our lives, we forget how our actions can impact people we will never meet,” explains Camalot. “I know that I’ll never get to meet my grandmother but learning about JBWS was a way to honor her legacy and inspire myself to be more like her.”
