Mission & Philosophy
OUR VISION
At Victim Services Inc. we envision a world free from all forms of violence where everyone is treated with dignity, inclusivity, and respect.
OUR MISSION
Victim Services Inc. is dedicated to providing trauma-informed, client-centered services to anyone impacted by violence and to creating cultural change through education, awareness, and survivor empowerment.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Advocacy – we advocate for our clients on an individual, group, and systemic level. As advocates, we understand that this work can be difficult but we endeavor to be tireless in our efforts and will not give up when faced with challenges.
Education – small- and large-scale change is possible with education and increased awareness. We provide quality education and awareness programs to schools, professionals, and the community at large. We provide continuing education to our staff to offer opportunities for growth and to continually improve the services we provide for clients.
Hope – we offer hope for healing through our supportive and transformative services and by empowering survivors to unite their voices for change. We offer hope to our staff by prioritizing self-care and honoring their knowledge, lived experience, and courage.
OUR VALUES
Empowerment –We believe everyone should be empowered to make the decisions that are best for them. We respect the individual choices of our clients and colleagues. We strongly believe in empowering survivors to become involved in our work and to use their voices in whatever way feels right to them.
Confidentiality – VS recognizes confidentiality as an essential piece of what allows survivors to find safety in receiving our services. We are honored by the trust our clients place with us and hold confidentiality as a cornerstone of our work.
Safety – We strive to create safety in every dimension for our clients and our staff, both within the organization and within the communities we serve.
Inclusivity – We value the strength of diversity and believe everyone should have a seat at the table. Our community, board, staff, and clients are made up of diverse individuals who have different lived experiences. We are committed to addressing cultural responsiveness in our strategic planning, personnel policies, hiring, training, and service delivery. We strive to create a space where all are welcome and included.
Collaboration – We believe survivors are best served when we work together. At VS we strive to work with other professionals, with our agency colleagues, and with our clients to ensure we are providing the most successful and integrated services possible.
Accessibility – Services are provided at no cost and accessible to anyone impacted by crime regardless of their abilities. We are committed to adapting services to meet the needs of all individuals we serve.
Board Members
The business and affairs of the corporation are managed by a Board of Directors, who are representatives of the two-county area. The responsibility of the Board of Directors is to set policy and oversee the business and affairs of the corporation by appointing a president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, treasurer, and secretary.
Chief Executive Officer:
President of the Board:
Charles Howard
1st Vice President:
Connie Bennett
2nd Vice President:
Jacqueline Knapp
Secretary/Treasurer:
Nick Debias
Solicitor/Member:
Kevin Persio
Board Members:
Carol Harding
Jason Hunter
Rosemarie Midderhoff
Joseph Ritter
Pamela Vyhonsky
Rebecca West