Meet the Founder / President the Board of Directors and learn about "Her Journey's" mission. 

Darthena Sanders (Culpepper) Founder & President of Her Journey Hope and Healing Foundation

A Journey of Pain, Faith, Healing, and Purpose

My name is Darthena Sanders (Culpepper), and I am the Founder and President of  Her Journey Hope and Healing Foundation a non profit organization, established in 2021.

My heart for serving women is rooted in my life experiences, my faith in God, my passion for helping others, and my obedience to the calling I believe God has placed on my life.

My journey has not been an easy one.

During my preteen years, my mother remarried, and I was exposed to an environment of abuse within our home.

I experienced physical abuse at the hands of her husband, as well as sexual abuse by both her husband and his son.

During this same period, I also witnessed my mother endure domestic violence at the hands of her husband.

These traumatic experiences were part of my reality between the ages of 11 and 13. They shaped my understanding of pain, fear, resilience, and the devastating impact that abuse can have on women and children, often behind closed doors.


I want to acknowledge that these experiences were not simply part of my childhood; they became part of the life experiences that would later shape my compassion, my purpose, and my commitment to helping other women find safety, healing, and hope.

At just 16 years old, I became a mother to my beautiful daughter. At 18, I moved out and began navigating the challenges of education, employment, and motherhood as a teenage single parent. By the age of 25, I was raising four children on my own—three daughters and one son. At 29, I married and became a mother of five, with four daughters and one son.

Throughout my life, I faced challenges that tested my strength, identity, and faith. I endured seventeen years of  marriage,  marked by physical abuse, emotional abuse and financial abuse.

Over time, the pain and trauma changed me into someone I hardly recognized. I know what it feels like to lose pieces of yourself while trying to survive. I also know how difficult it can be to find your way back to the woman you were created to be.

Then, in 2018, my life changed forever. While my family and I were vacationing in Myrtle Beach, my beloved 20-year-old son was struck by a car. Losing my son brought a grief unlike anything I had ever known. It challenged me in ways I could never have imagined and changed my life forever.

Yet, even in the midst of profound pain, God was still working in my life.

Through my healing journey, I began to understand that the experiences I had endured could become a source of compassion, understanding, and hope for other women. My story was not simply about what I had survived; it was also about what I could offer another woman who was struggling to find her way.

Today, I stand in a place of healing, wholeness, renewed faith, and love.

I am remarried, and I am grateful for my family—my four living children, my bonus daughter, my son who lives forever in my heart and spirit, and my husband, who has stood beside me as a source of love, support, and encouragement.

My family has supported this vision, and willingly given their time and heart to help bring it to life.

Why Her Journey Exists

Her Journey Hope and Healing Foundation was born from the heart of Her Journey – Grieving Moms Supporting Grieving Moms and the belief that no woman or teen should ever have to navigate life's most difficult seasons alone.

Every woman deserves compassion, understanding, support, and the hope of a brighter tomorrow.


Through my own life experiences and the shared passion of several dedicated members of Her Journey, we are wholeheartedly committed to expanding this journey of service to reach more women and teens facing life's challenges.

Together, we are embracing a broader mission that continues our foundation of supporting grieving mothers while extending our hands to women experiencing substance abuse and recovery, women currently experiencing or surviving domestic violence, and teens ages 13–17 through our Her Rise program.


From helping grieving mothers navigate the unimaginable loss of a child, to creating opportunities for women to pursue recovery, heal from domestic violence, and rebuild their lives. My vision is also to encourage and support teens as they navigate trauma, grief, abuse, self-worth, life transitions, and the challenges of growing into who they are meant to be.


I want teens to know that their circumstances do not define them, their voices matter, and they do not have to face difficult seasons alone.

Through "Her Rise" mentorship, encouragement, education, and supportive resources, I hope to help young people recognize their value, make healthy choices, build resilience, and believe that their future can be brighter than their past.

I do not serve because I have lived a perfect life. I serve because I know what it means to struggle, to hurt, to lose yourself, to grieve, and to fight your way toward healing.

I serve because I believe God can bring purpose from pain and use our experiences to help someone else find hope.

My greatest desire is to take what I have overcome and extend a helping hand to women and teen girls who are still finding their way.

Her Journey is more than a foundation. It is a reflection of my faith, my life, my love for women and young people, and my commitment to helping others recognize that their past does not have to define their future.

I believe every woman and every teen girl deserves to feel safe, valued, supported, and worthy of a new beginning.

If sharing my story helps even one woman or teen discover their strength, reclaim their voice, or believe in their future again, then every step of my journey has a purpose.

With God at the center, I will continue to turn pain into purpose, experiences into understanding, and hope into a helping hand.

This is my journey. This is my calling. And this is why Her Journey exists.

With love, faith, and purpose,

Darthena Sanders (Culpepper)
Founder & President
Her Journey Hope and Healing Foundation

Turning pain into purpose. Turning grief into connection, healing, and hope. Helping women discover the strength to begin again.

Founder/President Darthena (Dee) 

Our Mission

Her Journey Hope and Healing Foundation is rooted in love, compassion, faith, and the belief that no woman or teen should ever have to face life’s hardest moments alone.

We are dedicated to walking alongside women and teens through life’s most painful and challenging experiences by providing understanding, encouragement, resources, and a safe, supportive community where healing can begin and hope can grow.

✅️Through Her Journey: Grieving Moms Supporting Grieving Moms, we offer comfort, connection, and support to mothers navigating the unimaginabl, devastating pain of losing a child. 

.✅️Through Her Journey Healing Home for Women, we strive to provide women in recovery with a safe, structured, and supportive environment where they can rebuild their lives and work toward lasting sobriety and independence.

✅️Through Her Journey Safe Haven, we are committed to supporting women impacted by domestic violence as they seek safety, healing, empowerment, and a fresh start.

✅️Through Her Journey Teens, we encourage teen girls to discover their worth, build confidence, develop healthy coping skills, make positive decisions, and recognize the strength within themselves.

Inspired by faith and shaped by lived experiences, our purpose is to turn pain into purpose, meet people with compassion rather than judgment, and remind every woman and teen that they are seen, they are valued, they are not alone, and they deserve the opportunity to heal.

Their past does not define them, their struggles do not determine their future, and no matter how difficult the journey may be, new beginnings are possible.

An important part of my mission is to establish and grow our nonprofit organization, obtain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and build a sustainable foundation that allows us to expand our programs, secure funding, develop community partnerships, and reach more women and families in need.

My vision is to create a legacy of healing, hope, empowerment, and transformation—reminding every woman and girl that, no matter what she has experienced, her story is not over. There is hope beyond the hurt, strength beyond the struggle, and a new chapter waiting to be written.

Her Journey — Turning Grief into Connection, Pain into Purpose, and Hope into Healing

 

Meet Her Journey  Hope and Healing Foundation Board of Directors 

Donations 

Choose the Journey You Want to Support
IMPORTANT DONOR NOTICE: PLEASE DESIGNATE YOUR DONATION.
To ensure your contribution supports the program closest to your heart, all donors must indicate which Her Journey program they wish to support when making a donation.

Please select one of the four programs below in the donation form or include the program name in the donation notes.

1.Her Journey- Grieving Moms Helping Grieving Moms.

The pain of losing a child is a heartbreak that no mother should ever have to endure. For some mothers, the weight of that grief becomes so overwhelming that it affects every part of their lives, including their emotional and physical well-being.

Sadly, we have seen mothers pass away after the loss of their children, leaving us to reflect on just how deeply grief can impact a mother’s life. In our city,  the loss of Mayor Frank Jackson’s daughter, shortly after she loss her son or Amanda Berry's mom who passed due to declining health after Amanda's disappearance is a reminder of the devastating pain that families endure.

Behind every grieving mother is a story, a love that never ends, and a heart forever changed. While we cannot always know or fully understand the struggles another mother is facing, we must recognize that grief can be isolating, exhausting, and incredibly heavy to carry alone.

This is why Her Journey — Grieving Moms Helping Grieving Moms — matters. We create a space where mothers can be heard, supported, loved, and reminded that they do not have to navigate this painful journey alone. We cannot take away the pain of losing a child, but we can walk beside one another through the darkest days and help each other find moments of connection, healing, and hope.

Sometimes, simply knowing that someone cares enough to check in, listen without judgment, and stay present can make a difference. No grieving mother should ever feel that she has to carry the weight of her grief alone. ❤️

Your donation helps provide private supportive spaces for meetings or activities for the group to be transparent while so vulnerable.  Grieving moms can feel understood, less alone, and supported throughout their healing journey when they connect with a relatable mom. Donations also allow us to reach more grieving or bereaved mothers.

2. Her Journey Healing Home for Women


Supporting our mission to establish a safe, structured, and supportive recovery home for women affected by substance use who are working toward stability, recovery, and a fresh start.

Your contribution will help us work toward providing and maintaining the current supportive living dwelling, environment and resources that encourage accountability, personal growth, and long-term recovery

Supporting our goal of providing women in recovery with a safe, structured, and supportive sober living home at no cost for up to 60 days.


Many women entering recovery are rebuilding their lives and are just beginning to regain financial stability.

Your donation will help remove the financial barrier of housing during this critical transition, giving women the opportunity to focus on healing, maintaining sobriety, finding employment, managing responsibilities, and creating a strong foundation for long-term independence.


Every contribution helps us work toward offering a stable living environment where women can receive encouragement, accountability, recovery support, and the time they need to move forward with dignity, confidence, and hope.

3. Her Rise — Teen Empowerment Program

Empowering teen girls to build self-confidence, develop healthy relationships, strengthen decision-making skills, recognize their worth, and make positive choices for their futures.

Your donations help provide safe, supportive spaces for monthly meetings and workshops, as well as group outings that encourage connection, personal growth, and positive experiences. These opportunities allow teens to build confidence, discover their potential, develop healthy relationships, and gain the tools they need to thrive.

4. Her Journey Safe Haven — Domestic Violence Survivors (Safe Haven Home for survivors is a Future Vision Fall 2027🙏)

Supporting women impacted by domestic violence as they work toward safety, healing, independence, and a new beginning.

Your generosity will help us develop supportive resources and work toward creating safe opportunities for survivors to rebuild their lives with dignity, strength, and hope.

Her Journey Safe Haven is dedicated to supporting women and children impacted by domestic violence as they work toward safety, healing, and a fresh start.

Your donations will help us:

  • Establish monthly support meetings in comfortable, private, and supportive spaces for survivors.
  • Connect women with professional resources, services, and assistance to help them navigate their next steps.
  • Provide connections to support and assistance for children who may have been impacted by domestic violence.
  • Find and establish a future Her Journey Safe Haven—a safe, supportive living environment for women escaping domestic violence.

Your generosity will help us build a foundation of hope, healing, and safety for women and children as they begin a new chapter free from violence.

 

Every Gift Makes a Difference

Whether you give a little or a lot, your generosity helps move our mission forward. Every contribution brings us one step closer to expanding our programs, reaching more women and girls, and creating lasting change in our community.











"Her Journey Hope and Healing Foundation brings a vital sanctuary of compassion. Their commitment to peer support and holistic recovery changes women's lives every day."

Lakewood Community Partner