NHCO Community Justice Center seeks community support as $5M grant expires

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – It’s been over one year since the New Hanover County Community Justice Center opened its doors. The organization aims to be a one-stop shop for victims of crime.

The center received a $5 million grant from the New Hanover County Community Endowment in 2023, but those funds are set to expire at the end of this year.

“It’s been phenomenal,” said Ben David, CEO of The CJC.

In November 2024, the CJC opened its door to victims of domestic, sexual and youth violence. The CJC was the vision of the former district attorney.

“When I retired from that office, my ambition was not to become an executive director of another non-profit, we have many wonderful non-profits already,” said David.

David said instead he wanted to establish the 15,000 square-foot justice center just steps away from the county courthouse.

While data on the success of the center is hard to track, David said in October the center began measuring how often the CJC is used by their partners and crime victims.

“How often is the DA’s office utilizing this space, how often is the sheriff’s office, WPD, domestic violence shelters services, rape crisis, how many times does our forensic nurse examiner looking at folks in our clinic?” David said.

Since they opened their doors, the center saw a spike in domestic violence reports which David said is a sign they are doing things correctly.

“The reason for that is because are going to report it more, this is a hidden problem, that has been in the shadows and to bring out into the light and put it into a courtroom is our goal,” David said.

Now, the center is fielding upwards of 40 domestic violence cases per week. David says there are dozens of domestic violence survivors in need of protective orders, many of whom are referred to the CJC.

“And we’re able to do all of that from the comfort of this facility without them having to do through medical detectors or run into their abuser,” David said.

David says phase one of the CJC focused on domestic violence, now the center is moving into phase two which focused on sexual violence, then phase three which is youth violence.

“When I was district attorney, I was responsible for advising over a thousand officers in 20 different police agencies and to be able to take what I call ‘Seal Team 6’ the very best of domestic violence prosecution, sexual assault and youth violence and put them all under one roof, and say we finally have the resources for victims and not just defendants that’s what this is all about,” David said.

As the CJC looks forward, come December, a $5 million grant from the New Hanover County Endowment will expire so David said it’s time for the city, county and even the state to step up.

“People ask me whether this place will succeed, it will be if the community supports it,” David said.

David said the CJC will be going back to the Endowment requesting additional resources before their grant expires in December.