A Corona not-for-profit is traveling to Nigeria for medical mission to help victims. NY1's Lyndsay Christian filed the following report.
Chetachi Ecton turned a painful experience into something positive. She founded "When In Need Foundation," a global non-profit for years ago, to be a voice for the voiceless, helpless and those in need.
As October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, she's using her foundation as a vessel to help women in her homeland of Nigeria.
"I have the bruises, and I have the stitches, I have everything you can think of about domestic violence, I have it all," Ecton said. "There are so many, so many stories of women being battered back home and women being killed by their husbands and loved ones."
The foundation is collecting supplies at Club Hermanos Unidos de Queens, a community center on 103rd street in Corona ,through November 14, for its medical missoin. Supplies in demand are eyeglasses, diabetes test strips and bandages.
George Onuorah dedicates his time as a "When In Need" volunteer.
"It breaks your heart, and my question is what can I do to help these people," Onuorah said. "I've always been someone that likes to extend myself for the greater good of my community or country."
The foundation not only focuses on global efforts, it has local reach, too, supporting families in Corona.
"We need a lot of help in this community, 90% is Hispanic people, they bring a lot of toys to the kids in the community, they bring everything," Armando Peralta, Director of Club Hermanos Unidos de Queens, Inc said.
"I do things here but I'm looking forward to expanding to other communities," Ecton said.
"When In Need" is constantly giving and helping others, in fact, they're preparing to leave Tuesday for a mission in the Dominican Republic.
For more information on how you can support the foundation's efforts to transform lives, create impact and lend and helping hand, and for the full list of supplies for its November mission to Nigeria, visit winfound.org or its Go Fund Me Page.