Our Founder - Shawn J. Stradford, Sr.
Shawn has been a selfless and quiet hero to thousands of Staten Island families for over 20 years. He's a respected Community Leader, a Member of several prominent Non-Profit Boards, and a revered 'voice' in Staten Island's political, civic, and clergy associations. Shawn is a faithful Servant without question. His life of 'giving and guiding' propelled his creation of the Stradford Family Life Foundation, a multi-purpose charitable organization built upon the principles instilled by his Mother and Grandmothers, “to give, share, empower, educate and protect.” In so doing, the Foundation serves disenfranchised communities and marginalized Staten Island families by leaning in to overcome food insecurity; employment and economic instability; tuition and funeral assistance, clothing drives; championing marches for justice and equality; and corralling leaders to participate in the Foundation's Annual Thanksgiving “Turkey and Fixins” giveaway to over 250 needy families.
As a Business Pioneer, Shawn reminds his young Mentees of this, “I graduated the University of DC, School of Mortuary Science, completed my 1-year Residency (12 hour shifts/6 days) in the murder capital of the US, Washington D.C. … I came home to Staten Island one year later, accomplished, licensed, and ready to serve … Yet, I was rejected and unemployed for 12 solid months.” He drives home this key point to his students, “reality doesn't care who or what you are; only hard work and preparation break through OUR harsh realities.” In 2000, Shawn, a Licensed Funeral Director, opened the Stradford Funeral Home - Staten Island's only African-American-owned-and-operated funeral establishment.
Our Founder sits with a CBS-TV News Reporter to discuss commitment to his community, his selflessness, and his process to restore dignity to devastated families across Staten Island's neighborhoods that were ravaged by COVID-19, and yet, still overlooked despite their immeasurable suffering .
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/shawn-stradford-funeral-home-staten-island/
All rights reserved. The Stradford Family Life Foundation.
Your gift supports our work in vulnerable communities and helps to equip our response to emerging challenges (ie. Covid-19) by working with our Partners and with trusted leaders in marginalized Staten Island neighborhoods.
© 2024
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details and accept the service to view the translations.