Dear Reader, Can you imagine the pain of a mother’s first holiday season without her child?  Can you imagine the tragedy of a missing daughter, a murder, the attempt to keep a smile on one’s face because it is Christmas and there are other children to tend to?  This is the story of Lola Linstad, the founder of Victim Support Services.   Many people are experiencing…

Written by: Jennifer, Information and Referral Specialist      The holidays can be a joyous time filled with loved ones, gifts, and memories. It is a time that brings people together and it fills the air with altruism. The weather is cool, homes are cozy, and vacation time is just around the corner. There is usually a positive connotation surrounding the holidays, but many of…

To Whom it May Concern, It is with humility and gratitude that I wish you a happy holiday season.  Because of the support of our community (YOU) we have reached 9,658 individuals to date in 2019 with courtroom advocacy, counseling, assistance through our hotline and through classes and outreach programming.  We have expanded our therapy program to offer counseling in 4 counties.  The 24-hour statewide…

This month’s Employee of the Month is Rachel! Rachel has been with us for nearly a year and a half now but we can’t imagine VSS without her! Rachel has an incredible work ethic – she balances two locations in King County, Covington and Pioneer Square. She supports clients all over King County and has recently worked on developing a new referral mechanism so that…

Written By: Julie Thomas, Director of Victim Services and Education After my son died in 2016, my life froze. It froze into an existence of trying to figure out how to navigate the world without part of me here. I have four amazing children and to lose one is to lose part of my heart and soul. That knee jerk-reaction was to jump off a…

Our faBOOlous Employee of the Month is none other than our lead advocate, Kimi! VSS is so happy to honor this FANGtastic employee. From teaching classes at CORE to assisting victims in court, Kimi is the ghostest with the mostest! Here is what some of her colleagues had to say about her! “Kimi is always so helpful and does everything with a smile!”  “Kimi is…

Written By: Emma, Island County Advocate Each year October is designated as National Crime Prevention Month. The National Crime Prevention Council assigns each week in October to a specific theme to help bring awareness to different issues. This week we have been exploring safety measures for keeping safe while using rideshares.   According to the Pew Research Center, 51% of adults between 18-29 state that…

Natalie Natalie is the Victim Services Coordinator for Snohomish County. Her colleagues voted her as Employee of the Month for August because she is just wonderful! She is a fantastic advocate who uses her natural empathy to connect with clients. She also has a great working knowledge of the criminal justice system. She works tremendously hard to meet her clients needs and is a fun…

Written By: Jonathan Moore, Outreach Specialist In 1981, Washington State enacted a Victims’ Bill of Rights, which enumerates 15 specific rights that serve to compensate, inform, empower, and protect crime victims in Washington State. In 1989, Washington State also amended its Constitution to further protect crime victims’ rights.  It took a decades-long movement, with powerful supporters from across the political spectrum, to recognize the experience…