The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors and the Pearl River County Sheriff Department have secured funding from the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) for an initiative aimed at raising awareness of crime victims’ rights and available services during the upcoming 2024 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

The initiative will feature a Resource Fair in Pearl River County as part of the Community Awareness Project. Scheduled to coincide with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which runs from April 21st to April 27th, 2024, the fair will be held on Tuesday, April 23rd, at McNeill Park, 104 Library St., Carriere, MS, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Christy Goss, the Project Manager, acknowledged the support from NAVAA and OVC, highlighting the importance of community involvement in assisting crime victims. Goss encourages residents to participate in the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities and continually support victim assistance programs.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, established in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, aims to enhance public awareness and understanding of the rights and services available to those affected by crime. The theme for the 2024 observance is “How Would You Help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.”

Since its inception in 2004, the NCVRW Community Awareness Project has provided financial and technical support to over 1500 community initiatives nationwide, promoting victim awareness and public education. Pearl River County’s Resource Fair was one of the 105 selected for funding out of 223 applications nationwide following recommendations by NAVAA and approval by OVC.

For further details regarding the activities planned for the 2024 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in Pearl River County, individuals are encouraged to contact 601-749-7780 or visit the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors’ website at www.pearlrivercounty.net or their Facebook page. Those interested in learning more about national efforts for the week can visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at www.ovc.gov.

The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators, a non-profit organization, represents 56 state agencies responsible for distributing funds from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund. These funds, derived from fines imposed on federal offenders, serve more than 4,000 direct victim assistance service providers and do not come from U.S. taxpayers.