Black History Month 2025 Highlights: Kim Sheffield, Community Leader

Abundant Life Ministries is celebrating Black History Month 2025 by taking time to reflect on notable people and community leaders who have contributed to our unique Charlottesville community. Creating history isn’t easy, and we are thankful for all who led and continue to lead the way to a better tomorrow. To kick off this month of noteworthy stories is Community Leader, Kim Sheffield.

Coming from a family of Ministers, Evangelists, Reverends, and Pastors, Kim Sheffield grew up in Madison County Virginia, and later her family moved to Orange County Virginia. She graduated from Orange County High School and went on to attend Liberty University. After losing a loved one without life insurance and seeing the lack of unpreparedness, Sheffield became passionate about helping specifically black and brown families prepare for funerals and final expenses. She spent 17 years in the Insurance industry, before moving to the non-profit sector, after being approached about doing contract work at the Jefferson School.

Kim is now the Director of Community Engagement at the Jefferson School Foundation, and there her work centers around the mission of the organization to preserve and sustain the historic Jefferson School and serve as a hub for innovation and education to bring the community together. She works to keep the organization connected to the community. Upon her hire two years ago, she worked with the Executive Director, Bernard Whitsett, to rebrand the organization. Since she has been at the Jefferson School Foundation, she has worked on various projects, such as opening up a conference room in the City Center for the use of community organizations and the like. Kim has also worked on the Sanctuary of Soul initiative, which allows local artists to display their artistry. Kim and the JSF team have created the Jefferson School Foundation task force, comprised of stakeholders and community influencers who serve as the Jeff School’s eyes and ears. She and the Jefferson School have partnered with the American Red Cross for an annual blood drive, centered around sickle-cell anemia and getting blood donations from the black and brown community. Through her work at the Jefferson School, Kim has partnered with Come As You Are Cville for toy drives, and has just partnered with the Salvation Army for ‘Sleepout Cville’ coming this March.

Kim accredits her mom for her servant’s heart. Growing up, she watched her mom serve the community, being an advocate for those who have learning disabilities, spending 30+ years on the Community Service Board, fostering and adopting children for 30 years, and giving her life to serving.

“When you grow up watching service, it becomes a part of your language and who you are, because you understand that true elevation comes from service. We’re all serving something or someone. For me, there’s nothing more fulfilling than serving the community, and it was just instilled in me at a young age.”

She is also inspired by local leaders like Sarad Davenport, whose words spoke to the queen in her, and gave her the confidence that she needed to walk into the transition from her career in insurance to the non-profit world here in Charlottesville.

To her younger self, Kim would say, “Keep going. It might not make sense now, but all of the pieces are lining up, just keep going.” To the young women and those striving to make a difference, Kim would encourage you to, “Be courageous in being your authentic self. You will never get a badge of honor pretending to be something or someone that you’re not. Be true to who you are. Embrace your flaws and struggles, because of all those things are working together, and one day, hopefully, you’ll be a blessing to someone else with all the things that you’ve been through.”

Kim’s story is a story of dedication and it is still being written- she saw a need, and dedicated her lifetime work to it. We are honored to be amongst such an important and inspiring community leader like Kim Sheffield, who serves with a selfless heart for the empowerment of those around her.

“I am learning to unlearn. I am learning that not everything you learn growing up or were subjected to growing up is always the right way. It’s okay to unlearn and pick up new habits and embrace change.”