2013
ANNUAL REPORT
comfort • counsel • educate
c om for t • c ou n sel • e duc ate
ANNUAL REPORT
comfort • counsel • educate The journey of healing from the trauma of crime is not for the faint of heart. Indeed, it requires large degrees of trust, perseverance and strength.
For 40 years, the Crime Victim Center of Erie County has been privileged to serve countless men, women and children who have turned to us for help in their healing journeys. And for 40 years, our donors and sponsors have provided the resources and support that enables our staff to comfort, counsel and educate those in need.
Erie County. In particular, our 40th Anniversary Symposium featuring Elizabeth Smart and the second annual Moonlight on the Bay fundraising event spurred community awareness and financial contributions to new levels.
As more people come to know the Crime Victim Center, more people will ask for our help. With your continued support and contributions, we will be able to expand our outreach programs to prevent crime while assisting those who fall victim.
This past year, our board of directors and professional staff worked tirelessly to raise our profile and extend our reach to even more victims of crime in
Thank you for joining us on our journey over the past 40 years. For a safer community, we pledge to continue to comfort, counsel and educate.
Paul Lukach, Executive Director
Steve Rosen, Board Chair
who we c ou n sel
comf ort
2013
“After drinks with friends downtown one night last year, I found myself unaware of my surroundings. I was robbed and both physically and sexually assaulted. After sharing what happened with another friend, I was encouraged to call the Crime Victim Center as soon as possible. Their help was truly a blessing; they even went to court with me.”
It’s well-documented that the way people cope as victims of crime depends largely on their experiences right after the crime. That’s why it is so critical for the Crime Victim Center to be ready to help victims cope with the immediate trauma and begin the journey to restore a sense of control over their lives.
WHO WE HELP
Crime Victims Served in 2013
Sexual Assault Adults 372 Children 340 Significant others 336 Other Crimes Victims 3,842 Witnesses 1,048 Significant others 285 Crime Victims Compensation Claims 59 Payments $183,530
Whatever the crime – child or elder abuse, home invasion, homicide, robbery, sexual or aggravated assault – we have learned that if there is help, there is hope. By getting victims the immediate assistance they need, the Crime Victim Center staff facilitates healing and assists these individuals and their families in unburdening themselves from the violence.
O U R B OA R D Steve Rosen, President Shawn Waskiewicz, Vice-President Mark Murphy, Treasurer Terri Koebe, Secretary Phyllis Aiello Maria Continenza Maria Garase Rebecca Jones
Elisa Konieczko John Kroto William Morton Heidi Oldaker Dan Sloppy Patti Starvaggi Suzanne Weidle
-- former CVC client
Our Trained Counselor Advocates provide crisis intervention, counseling, accompaniment through the criminal justice and medical systems as well as victim compensation and restitution assistance.
K E Y S E RV I C ES
• 24-hour hotline • Crisis intervention • Individual counseling • Support groups • Accompaniment to court • Information about case status • Assistance with filing paperwork • Satellite offices
counsel
how we help
ANNUAL REPORT
“Coming back from my technical school, the assault came from nowhere. I was knocked out with the first blow. The next thing I knew I was in the nurse’s office waking up. I had bad dreams…and my Mom was worried about the doctor’s bills. Plus, we had to go to court to see the attacker. The Crime Victim Center helped us every step of the way and changed my life forever.” -- former CVC client
When crime occurs, the media typically focuses on “who did it.” However, the Crime Victim Center provides the victims with emotional support and counseling they need to get their lives back together. Our work with these men, women and children doesn’t make the headlines. But as you can read in the example above, what we do enables the thousands of victims of crime to cope with their fears and anxieties.
O U R STA F F Paul Lukach, Executive Director Jeffrey Clorley, Director of Dev. & Marketing Michelle Mitchell, Director of Court Advocacy Rebecca Torrey, Director of Clinical Services Amy Blackman, Director of Prevention Edu. Marge Chatt Carol Finotti Chrissy Fortin Debi Gorton
At the Crime Victim Center, our counselors offer a broad system of support and can direct victims to other services they need. Regardless of when the crime occurred or whether it was reported to law enforcement, we provide free and confidential counseling to anyone who seeks our assistance.
Vicky Herrmann Martine Holquist Tameki Hooker Gina Mannarelli-Agostine Kayla Mennini LaSonya Moffett Carol Panighetti Erin Pelinsky Jaime Stoeger Dan Gennaro Jesse Antolik Abby Widdowson Kristen Reno
H OW W E H E L P
Victims Responses to CVC Services 80% Feel better about themselves 80% Better able to identify their feelings 80% Better able to communicate their needs 80% Better able to express anger appropriately 70% Less fearful about using CVC services 60% Feel less shame
wh at we te ach
educat e
2013
“Fifth grade students can be challenging, but the community educators from the Crime Victim Center are so professional and always present age-appropriate content. I think that some of the students were a little surprised by the topic – a few of our boys were giggling at the start – but soon realized that the dangers being discussed are very real and they asked important questions after the presentation.” -- Grade 5 Teacher, St. James School It’s not easy teaching children about sexual abuse. But every year the Crime Victim Center staff speaks to hundreds of school students throughout the region to help them to understand the difference between good secrets and bad secrets. Our goal is not to frighten them, but to engage the children in such a way that they can talk to their parents, teachers and other trusted adults if a question or concern ever arises.
W H AT W E T E AC H
Prevention Education Programs for Students, Teachers and Adults Programs Presented 413 Total Participants 22,134
School Programs Good Secrets/Bad Secrets 4,194 Bullying 1,663
FUNDING
The Crime Victim Center has prevention education programs for students in preschool through college. We also conduct separate presentations for teachers, parents and the general public. To stay abreast of current issues and trends, the topics for both students and adults are constantly evolving.
MHMR $139,735 PCAR 301,996 United Way 75,662 VOCA V/W 200,219 VOCA S/A 28,838 United fund of Corry 4,000 Other Grants 30,590 Contract Services 57,513 RASA 143,097 VOJO 31,682 Donations/Fundraisers 146,236 TOTAL
$1,159,568
PREVENTION E D U CAT I O N TO P I C S
• Bullying • Cyberbulling • Gambling • Healthy/unhealthy relationships • Home and community safety • Identity theft • Internet safety • Personal trauma • Reporting child abuse • Sexual assault • Sexual harassment • Sexual harassment at work • Teen empowerment
ou r donor sig n sataund r e e vent s
ANNUAL REPORT
OUR DONORS Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield Erie Insurance Group Knights Of St. John Building Association The Cascade Club Erie Community Foundation Mr. John & Dr. Erica Grazioli Erie Maennerchor Club First Niagara Bank HBK Sorce Financial LLC Penelec, A FirstEnergy Company Eriez Magnetics Schwab Hospitality Company The Zukor Club PNC Bank Marquette Savings Bank Northwest Savings Bank Widget Financial Gannon University Wells Fargo Ins SVCS USA, Inc. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Lincoln Elementary School James W. Martin & Family Bankable Consulting, LLC The Bert Company Eerie Roller Girls Times Publishing Siebenberger Club Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape Heidi Oldaker Dillon Loomis Emmanuel Episcopal Church Erie County Care Management Cascade Park Club Inc. VFW Post 470 Decision Associates LLC Hallman Chevrolet Beautiworks Joseph Bello John Heaps St. Luke School United Methodist Women at First United Met
Erie Gives Day 2013 yielded more than $10,000 for the Crime Victim Center. The funds, more than triple previous years’ totals for the initiative, were used for expansion of our prevention education programs. Doug Boldt Penn State University Senator Sean Wiley & Friends CMIT Solutions National Fuel Howard Hanna Company Our Lady of the Lake Church Coventina Day Spa Walmart Macdonald Illig Attorneys Quinn Law Firm Carol & Tony Finotti Mark & Leah Murphy
Ernest & Elizabeth DiSantis Erin & Richard Pelinsky Mark J. Corey & Associates Lord Corporation Forte Marketing, LLC Shawn Waskiewicz Jackson Station William Mecca Cheryl & Chris Baldwin Adam Bell AJ & Dori Grack Roger Wolbert Bill & Barb Kelly
Moonlight on the Bay 2013 raised more than $42,000! On behalf of Honorary Chair Michele Ridge, Chair Couples Mr. and Dr. John and Erica Grazioli, Mr. & Mrs. Jim and Cheryl Martin, and Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Craige Victor we extend a special thank you to our corporate sponsors and the 400+ guess who joined us on Sept. 6 for a delightful fall evening at the Perry Monument. Donna Hixon Krista Jones Mary Kwiatkowski Attorney Tina Fryling Norm Zymm NAMI PA Michael Tkach Aimee Baumann Michael Gaines Donald McCain Fritz & Michelee Curtze Mark T. Amann Bianchi Motors, Inc. Erie Federal Credit Union Prints & More By Holly Suzanne Weidle Charles Scalise Michael Kasprzak Sheila Ardery Joanne Bello Rachel Wilkerson Lesia Stone Lee Rexrode Krauza Family Chiropractic Nancy Pierce Attorney Leslie Grey High Pressure Equipment Company, LLC Dale DeMarco Michele Ridge Mary Ferraro Northwest PA School Counselor Assn The Greengarden Tavern R A. Lumbowski John Dundon
Evans Capital Management Julie Chacona Nancy Pianta-Orbanick Heather & Russell Hall Hubbard Bert Karle Weber, Inc. Morgan Stanley Erie Beer Company Gina Mannarelli-Agostine North East Middle School Amy Machinski Matt Chilcott Slovak National Club Robert Burton Erie Promotions & Expo, Inc. Mary F. Adiutori Enterprises Mary Weckesser Alice Koziel Melissa Eimers Colleen Pentycofe Leslie Soltesz GE United Way Campaign Jamie Magee Peggy Jones Jenna Clark Maria Continenza Jillane Lewis Abby Widdowson Adam Holquist Allan Turner Amy Blackman Evelyn Finnecy Patricia Riley Jeffrey Clorley Kathy Holquist
2013
ou r donor s a nd e vent s
OUR DONORS Sandra Smith Lisa Anderson Arthur Martinucci Barbara Welton Lance Barclay Becky Torrey Meg Celidonia Candace Battles Chrissy Fortin Beth Burnside Daniel Sloppy Judith Pratt Barbara Cole Doug Bliley Dr. Maria Garase Shawn Waskiewicz Dr. Elisa Koneiczko Frank Kwitowski Lisa Bolte Jeff Haines Jeffrey Mennini
Mark Nowak Mary Jo Schleicher Melanie Vadzemnieks Terrence Cavanaugh Nadean Sitter Patricia Starvaggi Paul Lukach Phyllis Aiello Rachel Rudd Roger Wolbert Connie Kerr Vogt Stephen Rosen Thomas NeCastro Tod Allen Mary Menegay William Nesbitt Jr. Walter Bartlett William Pithers William Morton Yvonne Baracka Terri Koebe
Our third annual Cornhole Tournament was a huge success. More than 50 teams went head-to-head in January 2013 at the Erie Maennerchor Club, generating nearly $3,000 in contributions for the Crime Victim Center. Jennifer Bach Jesse Antolik Jessie N. Thompson Joseph Zaczyk Kayla Mennini Keystone Research Corporation Kathleen Stoddart Kristie Chatt Bernadette Barclay James Semple Lorianne Feltz Louis Porreco Lynn Mack-Costello
Kate Weber Mark & Laura Izzo Rebecca Jones Mary Lowry David Sydow Des & Debbie McDonald Chris & Vicki Lampe Colleen McCarthy Mike & Jill Faulkner Colleen Dixon Jack Daneri Peter & Charlene Correa Adam Bell
Keynote speaker Elizabeth Smart captivated some 1,000 attendees of the Crime Victim Center’s 40th anniversary celebration. Held at the Bayfront Convention Center on April 2, the event provided a powerful statement of the need for increased awareness for victims of sexual assault. Tina Fryling Peter Octavian Michael Tkach William Lechner Kevin Moore Linda Hackshaw Krista Jones Tim & Elizabeth McCormick Kathleen Wernicki Maureen Burgy Greg Lucas Kristen Yaple Richard McCarty Kaitlynn Stroehmeyer Shelley Cimino Daniel Beatty Tom Dawson Rob Burton
Keith Varney Dan Blue Judith Zboyovski Sara Frye Peter & Leslie Mitchell Jennifer Snow Rick Gagnon Dana Zaphiris Brian Stoeger Erie Runners Club Megagrafix Presque Isle Printing Conway & O'malley Koldrock Waters Inc. Geiger Electric McCarty Printing Prints & More Bianchi Honda
The 2013 March Forth Against Crime 5K attracted nearly 100 runners. Thanks to the dozens of participants and volunteers who came out to Presque Isle on a chilly March 3rd to help us raise awareness and funds for the Crime Victim Center.
125 West 18th Street, Erie, PA 16501 • (814) 455-9414 • www.cvcerie.org