Black Fairy Godmother Foundation to host 11th annual Purple Diamond Awards in October

The Black Fairy Godmother Foundation will mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month with its 11th Annual Purple Diamond Awards Gala on Oct. 24 in Bloomfield, New Jersey, raising money for emergency relocation support for mothers and children leaving violent homes. Shannon Watts will deliver the keynote, Vanessa Freeman will host and Shanice will perform live.

Why it matters: - The gala raises money for emergency relocation, security deposits and first month’s rent for families leaving violent homes. - The event supports direct aid for mothers and children during one of the most dangerous and unstable points in domestic violence recovery. - The Foundation says roughly 69% of the families it relocates remain housed and rebuild.

What happened: - The Black Fairy Godmother Foundation will host its 11th Annual Purple Diamond Awards Gala on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7 to 11 p.m. at The Brookside Banquets, 41 Broughton Avenue, Bloomfield, New Jersey. - The event aligns with Domestic Violence Awareness Month. - PIX11 anchor and reporter Vanessa Freeman will host. - Grammy-nominated R&B singer Shanice will perform live. - Author, activist and Moms Demand Action founder emerita Shannon Watts will deliver the keynote. - General admission tickets start at $150. - VIP seating and sponsor tables are also available. - Tickets and sponsorships are available at thepurplediamondawards.com. - More information is available at theblackfairygodmother.org.

The details: - Honorees include Sonja Price Herbert, founder of Black Girl Pilates, for the President’s Circle of Honor Award. - Leslie K. Brown, executive director of Partners for Women and Justice, will receive the Visionary Diamond Award. - Newark West Ward Councilman Dupré L. Kelly, also known as Doitall, will receive the Guiding Diamond Award. - Lucy Del Gaudio, a U.S. Army veteran and advocate, will receive the Beacon Award. - Craig Mainor, executive director of United Community Corporation, will receive the Diamond of Community Leadership Award. - Proceeds fund the Foundation’s six direct-assistance programs. - Megababe is joining this year as a Community Care Partner. - The Foundation works directly with landlords and realtors to cover security deposits and first month’s rent for families leaving shelters. - The Foundation then furnishes apartments through community donations. - Support also includes emergency housing, grocery assistance, scholarships for single mothers and holiday support each December. - The Foundation says its donors and volunteers have helped more than 225,000 families across its programs. - The Foundation says it has raised more than $2 million that went directly to families in crisis, with no salaries taken. - The Foundation was founded by Simone N. Gordon, known as The Black Fairy Godmother. - The organization was founded in 2017 and became a registered 501(c)(3) in December 2020. - The Foundation says its work has been featured on Good Morning America, ABC News, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The New York Times, People, Forbes, Parade and Woman’s Day.

Between the lines: - The gala mixes fundraising with public recognition, which can help draw donors while elevating domestic violence advocates and public officials. - The emphasis on housing shows the Foundation is focused on the immediate financial barriers that can keep survivors from leaving abusive situations. - The reported housing retention rate suggests the group is trying to measure longer-term stability, not just short-term crisis relief.

What’s next: - The Foundation will use gala proceeds to continue its direct-assistance programs for families in crisis. - The organization is expected to keep expanding its housing and emergency aid work through donor and volunteer support. - The Oct. 24 gala will serve as a high-profile awareness and fundraising moment during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The bottom line: - The Purple Diamond Awards are both a tribute to domestic violence advocates and a fundraiser for rapid housing support that helps survivors leave unsafe homes and stay housed.