NORTHWEST VICTIM SERVICES (NVS)

The Heartbeat for Victims

Northwest Victim Services
6023 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144
ph: 215.438.4410
fax: 215.438.2933
alt: 267.808.0350 Melany Nelson, Executive Director
mpn@northwestvictimservices.org

About NVS

In 1981, the Community Safety Program of Northwest Interfaith Movement began as the first community based victim service program in Philadelphia. The Community Safety Program became an independent nonprofit organization incorporated under the name of Northwest Victim Services (NVS) in 1986. Six additional community based victim service agencies in Philadelphia have modeled their organizations after NVS and all of these programs have relied on NVS for technical assistance and expertise. During its first year as an independent agency, NVS provided service to 800 crime victims in the14th police district. The number of victims served, as well as the type of services provided, has grown over the last 30 years. During 2016/2017 fiscal year, NVS provided services to over 1,200 crime victims in the 5th,14th, 35th, and 39th police districts. Services provided include crisis/ supportive counseling, accompaniment, financial assistance, and information/referral. In addition to providing services to crime victims, NVS provides community programs to increase safety and knowledge of NVS's services. NVS works closely with local / citywide community groups and agencies including the District Attorney’s Office, police, and government agencies such as the Social Security Administration and plays an active role in the Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy and several state and local community task forces. Please see below for NVS's mission, staff, and Board of Directors.

Mission of NVS

To provide prompt, effective and holistic services to all victims of crime in Northwest Philadelphia while increasing prevention strategies to elevate community safety.

Vision

To permanently alter the way, we treat victims of crime in Northwest Philadelphia.

VALUES

Northwest Victim Services values six principles when aiding victims of crimes and the Northwest community. These principles are: Community, Empathy, Dignity, Reliability, Competence, and Confidentiality.

We practice each of these values in the following ways:

Community: We strive to meet the needs of the individuals and the communities we serve. We foster and utilize the community’s support as partners to aid crime victims and reduce crime. Our Board and staff reflect the communities we serve.
Empathy: We work alongside crime victims as empathetic allies.
Dignity: We empower clients to advocate for themselves, treating them as individuals and providing them with choices that reflect their individual needs.
Reliability: We are present for clients and responsive to their needs, including providing information and resources to address questions if we do not have the answers. We support staff so that they can reliably support clients.
Competence: We are trained professionals, knowledgeable in the best practices in our field. We are a learning organization, continuously seeking to improve upon our knowledge and skills to better serve our clients and the community.
Confidentiality: We honor and uphold the vital importance of preserving client confidentiality at all times.

NVS Board of Directors
2017/2019

Derrick Sawyer, President

LeQuyen Vu, Treasurer

Patrice Fisher, Secretary

Cristsandra Penn

Kevin E. Raphael, Esq.

Mark Moore, Esq.

Denise Byrd

Lori A. Dumas

Dr. Leonard Mason

Gail Mitchell

Pedro Rodriguez

Dr. Joann Cozza

Pastor Robert Coombe

Advisory Board Member

Patricia A. Payne, Chair

Reverend Leroy Miles

Tonya De’voue-Black

Reverend Nick Taliaferro

Yohanes Kosaiah

A note from the President of the NVS Board:

Greetings Northwest Resident’& Stakeholders.

As the incoming Board President for Northwest Victim Services I would like to introduce myself. I am very excited about my new role during the 2017-2019 fiscal years. As president I plan on listening to our victims, witnesses, and community member’s needs. I also would like to further the mission of our organization and lead the Agency to greater success.

I would like to thank the outgoing Executive Board Committee for an outstanding job! The Agency witnessed an increase in victims served, new partnerships, and the creation of our “Stand for Something” Domestic Violence Workshops. Thank you for setting the stage for success in the 2017-2018 year!

The 2017-2019 Northwest Victim Services Board of Directors & Advisory Board Members are: Derrick Sawyer (President-Elect), LeQuyen Vu (Treasurer), and Patrice Fisher (Secretary), Kevin Rapeal, Esq, Mark Moore, Esq, Cristsandra Penn, Gail Mitchell, Denise Byrd, Shayna Harvey, Pastor Robert Coombe, Pedro Rodriguez, Dr. Joann Cozza, Judge Lori Dumas, Dr. Leonard Mason; Advisory Board Members: Patricia Payne, Reverend Nick Taliaferro, Reverend Leroy Miles, Marrisa Weeks-Mason,& Yohanes Kosaiah.

We will continue to champion the organization’s mission which is to:

· Improving the response time to serving victims of crime;

· Assisting more Human Trafficking Victims;

· Assisting more Elderly and Men of Color Victims;

· Developing new collaborative relationships with public services, educational, and businesses with compatible goals;

· Creating new programs within hospitals in the Northwest Section of Philadelphia.

We need the involvement from the community to have another successful year! I hope you will accompany me on this year’s journey by supporting Northwest Victim Services with your ideas and time, from now, through 2019 and beyond.

Stay Safe!

Sincerely,

Derrick Sawyer

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