Mission Statement
The Garden of Healing Foundation is committed to helping battered women rebuild their lives. We are a safe haven for those who seek refuge from any form of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. We seek to encourage the healing transformation towards restoration and self-esteem building, by offering programs that will nurture growth and confidence, in order to create a life of independence and fulfillment.
Our Vision of Purpose
Our vision at the Garden of Healing Foundation (GOHF) for battered women and children is not far-fetched. With purpose, and a lot of heart, our foundation will fulfill its goal to make an impact on the rising statistics caused by abuse and help formulate lasting solutions.
Garden of Healing Foundation- a US-based 501(c)(3) organization will serve as a reliable and responsive resource.
GOHF is committed to enriching the lives of women and children, who have suffered at the hands of others, and are ready to rise above their circumstances.
GOHF will assist through counseling and therapy; education and training; housing and medical assistance; self-esteem and wardrobe building; career assessments, job readiness and long-term goal setting.
Our goals are centered upon the needs of the community, wherein women and children are adversely effected at the hands of others.
Our programs are uniquely designed and revised in direct response to the assessed needs of each client, by clinically trained counselors/community social workers that can relate to the issues at hand and make strong recommendations.
We know that each person has their own trauma to work through, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Clients will be offered services that focus on healing from the past, embracing the present, and setting sights on a brighter future.
We are here to help them do the work while they learn to trust the process.
About Us
Garden of Healing Foundation, a US-based 501(c)(3) organization, is the sister organization to Garden of Healing Trinidad & Tobago (GOHTT): www.gardenofhealingtt.org
We are committed to helping battered women rebuild their lives, as stated in our mission because this truly is a mission. These sister foundations are the vision of our Founder, which is an undertaking we are not that far removed from.
It is our ability to triumph over our own past tribulations that equip us with the passion for helping others. This huge undertaking is very necessary if women and children are ever going to stop falling prey at the hands of someone who either promised to love them or is a complete stranger altogether.
We know that to help people rebuild their lives, it will require a safe haven and the commitment of community, where love and care is fostered. Imagine a setting where one has the proper nurturing; nourishment; education; health and mental needs; and emotional and therapeutic support, with a focus on an independent future.
With the help of our committed sponsors and partnerships, we are developing the Garden of Healing Foundation (US-based 501(c)(3) organization) to be the future we’ve envisioned, by doing more to offer helping hands and caring hearts to underserved class of people.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, an average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women in a single year.
The Garden of Healing Foundation is committed to changing these statistics, and with the help of a community of dedicated people, we can truly change society!
Our History
Our family history extends to the late 1940s by way of our devoted and caring grandmother, Lena Padilla. Lena devoted her days and nights to caring for her frail step-grandfather in his twilight years after he became too frail to care for himself.
Once a prominent man of the community, Dada Quoya Cupido had made a good life for himself, and because of Lena’s selfless acts of love and kindness in caring for him, he willed her a very large sum of land. The land would be handed down through the generations of Lena’s children and grandchildren, finally reaching us, and its ultimate purpose. Caring for others, as Grandmother Lena Padilla had once done, encompasses everything we desire for this beautiful oasis.
Sitting atop a ridge overlooking the little quiet town of Arima, Trinidad is where the future home of the Garden of Healing thrives, upon land rich and vibrant with hues only Mother Nature can gift us with. Tranquil and lush with wildlife, the land is home to countless birds of many species; grazing deer, porcupines, and other native animals, that help maintain a finely balanced eco-system with nature.
The rich soil and ideal temperature offers a rich foundation for growing peas, coconut, mango, and other fruit and vegetables that will give our residents a bounty of nourishment, and horticulture enjoyment. Future architectural designs to build on the property factor in maintaining the natural skyline, mountaintops, and valley views, while part of the overall experience will incorporate a greenhouse to grow and enjoy exotic flowers and greenery.
The flourishing scenery and beautiful array of colors and blooms will serve as an ever-present reminder of life’s diversity of beauty, something Dada Quoya Cupido and Lena Padilla would be proud of.
Through the selfless charity of one woman, the land can finally yield its divine purpose. Even though the Garden of Healing will be a physical place, it represents something much greater and cannot be simply housed in a building. As Lena Padilla’s good heart sparked healing for one, many residents of Garden of Healing will experience that same goodness, kindness, love, and hope for generations to come.
Nicole Bradshaw
Founder of the Garden of Healing Foundation
Ms. Nicole Bradshaw, affectionately known by family and close friends as Nikki or Nic, is originally from Arima, Trinidad.
Shortly after Ms. Bradshaw moved to the United States, she received an Associate Degree in Business from Ashworth University and is currently attending college seeking a degree in Customs Regulations and Compliance. She hopes to inspire the residents at the Garden of Healing to further their education by making scholarships available through the generosity of donors, corporate sponsorship, and supporters.
When not with her two beautiful daughters, Brianna and Camillia, Nicole can be found attending church, playing tennis, hiking, and running marathons.
She is also active in local organizations such as the Harlem Women International Organization, the United Nations Women’s Group, and the Commission on Status of Women. She surrounds herself with other strong and progressive women, as well as community philanthropists and like-minded individuals that believe in helping the less fortunate.
Advocating for women without voices has been a lifetime mission for her, so it was no surprise to people close to Nikki when the plush acre of land overlooking the city of Arima was made available to her for The Garden of Healing where the legacy of her caring grandmother’s lovingkindness will continue.
Things weren’t always looking up for Nikki and drawing from her own experiences she refocused her “trials into triumph” by devoting many years of personal time and sacrifice towards the fundraising and development of the Garden of Healing. It will be a temporary shelter and safe haven for the healing and restoration of battered women and children in Trinidad. She will also develop and manage the sister foundation in the US.
As Founder, Ms. Bradshaw will be responsible for the management and operations of the facility, as well as maintaining the institute’s educational components, which includes psychological and spiritual counseling to career advice and trade development.
Ms. Nicole Bradshaw has also dedicated her professional life to helping others.
Lisa Hill
Secretary of the Garden of Healing Foundation
Lisa has always had a passion for writing, which led her to major in Journalism. Her love for people was developed by listening to their stories; experiences; and triumphs.
In her own words, “ A belief in God has been key to my having any sense of strength and comfort.”
She reiterates that while in the midst of the madness, she never feels alone. She encourages others to see that they matter. Their life has value and by virtue of the fact that they are here, now, – alive and breathing, they have an opportunity to overcome the moment they are experiencing.
Lisa plans to plant seeds in the lives of others through her service with the Garden of Healing. She identifies with the challenges and believes that in order for others to find their way, we must “keep the light on.”
“Recovery from emotional, physical and spiritual trauma is not a “one size fits all” process. I believe that listening is key to being of service and aiding in healing. From there one learns where the greatest need is and how best to serve.” – Lisa Hill
Lisa, affectionately known as Mariposa, was nicknamed by her grandmother in a moment of whimsy, which became symbolic of the transformation from a place of lower focus (caterpillar stage) to that of transcendence / rising above the emotional and physical assaults (butterfly).
This is metamorphic of what Lisa envisions for all who come to the garden.
Marina Liberchuk
Consultant of the Garden of Healing Foundation
Marina Liberchuk was born and raised in the Soviet Union. She later immigrated to the United States, and currently resides in the New Jersey area.
Marina graduated from Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and completed a one- year residency program at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY.
In her spare time, Dr. Liberchuk enjoys traveling, reading, and playing table tennis.
As a witness to the hard work and dedication of watching Garden of Healing Foundation develop from the ground-up, she also brings unwavering and relentless dedication to its endeavors.
Marina believes that it is never shameful to ask for help, and it’s never too late to start over to get the life one deserves.
Her goals are to help raise awareness, help build comprehensive services for the women and children who need a safe haven.
Marina can listen without judgement, offer support and help find solutions.
She looks forward to extending a helping hand to this much needed cause.