Honoring Victim/Witness Services of South Philadelphia for 35 years of dedicated service to those affected by violence in South Philadelphia and across the City.

Honoring Victim/Witness Services of South Philadelphia for 35 years of dedicated service to those affected by violence in South Philadelphia and across the City. WHEREAS, Since 1989, Victim/Witness Services of South Philadelphia (V/WSSP) has administered unparalleled legal and personal support to more than 78,000 clients, offering healing to South Philadelphia’s residents under the duress of violence; and WHEREAS, Through its Victim Compensation Assistance Program, V/WSSP has secured over $4.4 million used to assist victims and witnesses with expenses related to lost earnings, medical bills, relocation, and therapy; and WHEREAS, The organization has adapted to the changing needs of victims and witnesses, facilitating crisis response for hundreds of clients via the emergency disbursement of food, shelter, and trauma resources, aiding the financial and emotional recovery of South Philadelphia residents most harmed by violence; and WHEREAS, V/WSSP’s outreach team serves victims and witnesses in more than 10 languages in the 1 st , 3 rd, and 17 th police districts of South Philadelphia, representing a diverse population of races and ethnicities reflecting Philadelphia’s cultural diversity; and WHEREAS, In addition to their financial and socioemotional assistance, V/WSSP has advanced a breadth of legislative priorities regarding victim and witness initiatives, creating programs such as the Immigrant Access Collaborative which provides services to immigrant victims and witnesses ci…