Meet Mike Jackson | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
In May 2011, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and given 4 months to live. I had a lot of things to think about such as what haven’t I done or what I could have done better. The 4 months went by and I continue to have these thoughts but I also thought about dying as well. Fast forward it’s Sept 2013, and God speaks to me and tell me that I am healed by his stripes, I tell my doctors and the all agree that I am a walking miracle. I was asked to do a tv commercial for Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa which aired in 2014, then I was featured on the 700 Club on 10/7/2016. It was 4 months later that I have an encounter with God, and he told me that he wanted me to impact the lives of children in my community. And I thought about my late Mother and what she meant to me and how she loved kids, and then I thought about other influential women in my life and That’s how The Women of Virtue Foundation was formed and we are going into our 10th year, and to be sharing this story at this particular moment is really SPECIAL because it’s Mother’s Day in a few days.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The idea to begin the Women of Virtue Foundation came to me after a battle with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. After and being blessed by God and healed by his Grace and Mercy, I wanted to touch the lives of people as God touched me. In 2015, a week before Christmas, God put it on my heart to bless 4 kids unknown to me with bikes for Christmas. I followed His instructions and was spiritually and emotionally blessed.

In June of 2016, he put it on my heart again to touch the lives of kids I did not know. So I had a backpack giveaway and was able to bless 140 kids with fully supplied backpacks to return to school.

Also in 2016, my wife and I donated 37 baskets for Thanksgiving and with donations from friends and good-hearted donors, we were able to donate 60 bikes to kids in the community for Christmas.

Women of Virtue Foundation was a dream that began in 2015 and continues to touch the lives of many in Daytona Beach and Miami, Florida.

The name Women of Virtue comes from 5 very powerful women in my life who taught me the importance of giving back: my late mother Delores C. Williams Ates, my late mother-in-law Mary Jo Drayton, my stepmother Mary Lee Jackson, my grandmother Willie Lee Hawkins and my grandmother Victoria C. Williams. They were all Virtuous Women.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would first take them to the world’s most famous beach, then because I know that he loves sports bars, I would then take him to the Oyster Pub. And since he’s here for a week we would go to the theme parks in Orlando and do some sight seeing and enjoy the parks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Late Mother Delores C. Williams Ates

Website: www.womenofvirtue01.wixsite.com/womenofvirtue

Facebook: Women of Virtue/facebook

Image Credits
If you look at the from of the flyer for The Women of Virtue Foundation, it’s those ladies that I credit for impacting my life enough to impact others 1) Delores C. Williams Ates 2) Mary Jo Drayton 3) Willie Lee Hawkins 4) Tangela D. Little 5) Kimberly Flynt Willis 6) Toni Charles 7) Brandi Bryant 8) Bertha Sims 9) Mary Lee Jackson 10) Victoria C Williams