The Center for Traumatic Grief was formed by Kathy Garcia following the 1984 murder of her 21 year-old nephew, Jimmy Myers, a victim of domestic violence. As he slept, his wife of 2 years shattered a cast iron frying pan over his head and followed up with a shotgun blast to his abdomen at close range. Jimmy bled to death while his 17 month-old son lay in his crib in the bedroom across the hall.
In August of 1987, Jimmy's wife was convicted of aggravated manslaughter. While 11 jurors had agreed on a murder verdict, one female juror held out because she felt that no woman could be that cruel without just cause. Actually, studies have since shown us that, in domestic violence cases, females are the physical aggressors just as often as men. They also kill their own children more often than men.
After participating in an informal support group formed by the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office of Victim Witness Advocacy, it became apparent that those dealing with the traumatic death of a loved one needed more specific help, geared to their particular needs.
With the guidance and assistance of friends, the South Jersey Survivors of Violent Crimes was incorporated as a tax-exempt organization, found office space in the Moorestown Community House, and became a Member Agency of the United Way of Burlington County in 1997.
The Traumatic Unexpected Grief, or TUG, program was launched in 1998 for the loved ones of homicide victims; the Sudden Fatal Incident, or SFI, proram was started 2 years later for those who have lost a loved one from a crash, suicide, or other unexpected form of death. The Law Enforcement Resource Center provides confidential services to police officers impacted by stress, as well as for their loved ones.
In 2003, the Mentors Program was introduced, providing those who have completed the program special training to enable them to act as mentors, or individual supporters, for those who have recently experienced similar trauma.