The Crime Victims Fund has supported more than 10,000 victims with over $1.5 million in emergency financial assistance in San Diego County.

PROGRAMS

The Emergency Victim Assistance (EVA) Program is the program on which the organization was founded. The EVA program provides short-term, emergency financial assistance to low- and fixed-income crime victims for such necessities as food, housing, utilities payments, medical expenses, prescription medication costs, rehabilitation costs, burial fees, and others. The citizens served by the program are victims of crimes such as robbery, assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, drunk driving, sexual assault, molestation, murder, and other violent and non-violent crimes. All referrals come from the offices of the San Diego County District Attorney, the San Diego Family Justice Center, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies working in partnership with The Crime Victims Fund to serve the needs of crime victims.

While there are government agencies that assist crime victims with both monetary support and psychological counseling, the long and arduous allocation process can take from six months to a year. The Crime Victims Fund, however, offers immediate assistance with no strings attached. There are no loans to repay. There are no extensive claims to fill out. Most importantly, the assistance comes at a time when the victim needs it the most -- immediately after the crime.

The Emergency Victim Assistance (EVA) Program

Any crime victim in San Diego County may be eligible for support from Emergency Victim Assistance Program, depending on the victim's needs and financial resources. Each case is reviewed individually and judgment is made accordingly.

The Crime Victims Fund only accepts victims referred by law enforcement agencies or other social service programs. Most referrals come through the Victim Witness Assistance Program of the District Attorney's Office. If you think you may qualify for assistance, please contact the Victim/Witness Assistance Program at (619) 531-4041.

Reported incidents are verified through police reports, and a confirmation is completed on each victim to determine if their needs are legitimate. Within 24 to 36 hours, The Crime Victims Fund issues a check to a vendor to support the needs of the victim.

HISTORY OF THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND

Prior to the establishment of The Crime Victims Fund in 1982, many police officers and members of the legal system who were concerned and touched by the plight of victims they'd encounter, would dip into their own pockets to help ease the victim's immediate needs. Beverly DiGregorio, the then-Executive Director of the YMCA Social Services for San Diego County and Justice William L. Todd, Jr. of the Fourth District Court of Appeals recognized that there was a need to be fulfilled and co-founded The Crime Victims Fund to assist these victims. The original organizational goals, which are still in place today, are:

• To mitigate the suffering of crime victims;
• To increase the range and availability of services to victims;
• To enhance public sensitivity to the plight of the victim;

Since its inception in 1982, CVF has dispersed more than $1.5 million in victim assistance to over 10,000 crime victims in San Diego, and has received many commodations for its exemplary work on behalf of victims in the community.

For more information about The Crime Victims Fund, please email us at info@crimevictimsfund.org