DONATIONS TO SIKH FAMILY CENTER ARE BEING MATCHED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR!

Sikh Family Center promotes community health and well-being with a special focus on gender justice. We provide trauma-centered interventions for victim-survivors of violence  while working to change the social and cultural conditions that allow gendered violence to occur in the first place. Our training, outreach, and advocacy are grounded in cultural tradition, grassroots power, and intergenerational healing.

What We Do

• Provide intervention services with our nationwide, private Helpline
• Develop and facilitate violence prevention and education programs
• Conduct outreach, training and technical assistance to Sikh & non-Sikh organizations

Intervention. Through our Nationwide Helpline 866.SFC.SEWA(732.7392) sangat members can receive (in Punjabi & English) accurate information, support options to help meet their needs, and referrals to local resources.

Examples of recent 2020-21 calls where we provided support:

*A survivor of domestic violence was abandoned by her estranged husband, who claimed he never considered their Anand Karaj a ‘marriage’ because it was never registered.

*A young sexual assault survivor navigating the legal system and working through her emotions and feelings of isolation after she shared her story publicly online.

*A friend seeking help to support a loved one  who was struggling with severe undiagnosed depression and anxiety, worsened due to isolation during the COVID pandemic.

We work to change the social and cultural conditions that allow gendered violence to occur in the first place...

Violence Prevention Education. (some highlights)

*On Vaisakhi 2021, we launched a much-needed and long-overdue Family Violence Resource Guide specially tailored for our Gurdwaras. By Oct 2021, we have disseminated this Guide to 52 gurdwaras.

*Recognizing that family violence is heightened during the pandemic, SFC has created and disseminated Video Shorts about family violence & safety. 

*We continue to conduct our "Sehj Series," consent & safety workshops with young adults and college students. In 2020 we tailored and held the workshops over zoom, and in 2021 we transitioned to a hybrid in-person/zoom model--whatever different groups needed!

Outreach, Training and Technical Assistance (some highlights)

*We've created resources about Child Abuse & Body Autonomy to help encourage Sikh parents to have essential conversations with their children

*We've trained Gurdwaras across the U.S. about recognizing dynamics of abuse and referring victim-survivors to appropriate resources.

*We joined various expert groups (e.g. California Coalition Against Sexual Assault; the National Conference on Domestic Violence; White House Listening Circles) in leading and co-leading trainings and discussions about faith, domestic violence, and community-based solutions.

*We timely developed & translated fact-based information related to COVID19. 

*We've created, translated and disseminated materials on mental health in the wake of various tragedies in 2021, including the Indiana shootings.

Accelerated Recent Growth

We believe in the power of community organizing and we do not wish to ‘professionalize’ services to the detriment of our grassroots base. At the same time, we recognized that in order to sustain the quality of the hard work that SFC demands, we must provide fair remuneration for kiratt. 

Our Guiding Values

•Serving the Whole Community.
•Building Grassroots Power.
•Centering Intergenerational Trauma & Healing.
•Striving for Racial and Gender Justice.
•Wellness for All. Sarbat da Bhalaa.

Our Donors, Our Strenght!

The ongoing contributions of generous and justice-minded sangat like you make this seva possible! We are grateful for your support and partnership, so that we can proactively provide services for those most in need.

Your donations help cover:

• Motel vouchers for a woman having to leave an abusive situation
• Emergency aid to a family facing homelessness
• Translation costs for critical health and safety resources
• Disseminating resources to Gurdwaras across the United States
• Prepaid phones for victims of violence fleeing to safety
• Training for volunteers to sustain our National HelpLine
• Salaries for our two part-time staff members who, on top of their duties, keep a large group of volunteers inspired and engaged, enabling our wide scope of work! 

contact@sikhfamilycenter.org