AAA3’s Awakenings Program Receives Community Outreach Project Funding | News

Territorial Agency on Aging Press Release 3: LIMA, OH – The Awakenings Program at Regional Agency on Aging 3 received funding from the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) through a grant from the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) within the US Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs to increase community awareness of crime victims’ rights and services during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 2023.

The allocated funding will be used as part of a community outreach project at District Agency on Aging 3, which serves 7 counties; including Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Mercer, Putnam and Van Wert counties. The project is part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, an annual celebration that takes place April 23-29, 2023.

“NAVAAA and OVC’s support of our 2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week events will help us help victims of crime,” said Anna Hairston, outreach coordinator for the Awakening program. “We encourage members of our community to help advance justice through services to victims of crime by joining the 2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week events and supporting daily victim assistance programs.”

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, first designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, increases public awareness and knowledge of the wide range of rights and services available to people who are victims of crime. The theme for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2023 is this “Survivor Voices: Elevate, Engage, Influence Change”.

Since 2004, the NCVRW Community Awareness Project has provided financial and technical assistance to more than 1,500 community-based projects that promote victim and community awareness, as well as innovative approaches to working with victims and educating the public about victims’ rights and services during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. . (Program Name) was one of 89 recommended by NAVAA and selected for 2023 OVC funding out of 151 applications submitted nationwide.

The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators is a nonprofit organization representing 56 state agencies that distribute money from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund to more than 4,000 direct victim assistance providers. The money for the Crime Victims Fund comes from fines collected from offenders convicted of federal crimes, not from US taxpayers.

The Awakening program was launched to help seniors who have been victims of crime or violence, with the hope of helping them regain their quality of life. Being a victim of crime or abuse is a traumatic, life-changing experience that is often underreported, especially by older adults. The “Awakening” program helps in the process of recovery and gaining independence.

Each year in the 7 counties of the Territorial Agency on Aging 3, there are approximately 4,300 cases of elder abuse, neglect or financial exploitation. These crimes outnumber injuries from falls, new cancer cases, or elderly people injured in car accidents. Crimes are often committed by caregivers or loved ones. Yet most cases of violence are never reported, and victims do not receive the help they need.

For nearly 50 years, the Regional Agency on Aging has been a leader in helping those who want to live safe, dignified and independent lives. AAA3 has team members who can answer questions and find programs and services in the service area that are designed to make people’s lives easier. It is a privilege for AAA3 believers to help seniors, people of all ages, people with disabilities and their caregivers in the 7-county region.

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