ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley doesn’t often get the chance to do something lighthearted. After all, the council is tasked with helping victims navigate trauma and the often confusing judicial system.
But Saturday’s CaresFest offered a change of pace for the nonprofit organization, which also serves as the region’s rape crisis center.
“It gets folks familiar with our office to see how local and approachable we are.”Emily Grigonis associate director, Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley
CVCLV held its second annual fall festival to offer clients a fun and welcoming experience while making community members aware of its services.
“It gets folks familiar with our office to see how local and approachable we are,” said Emily Grigonis, associate director of the Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley.
CaresFest was held in the parking lot outside the council’s Allentown office at 2132 South 12th St, Suite 101. It featured food, music, games and a raffle contest to help fundraise for the organization, which operates mostly through state and federal funding.
Serving victims for 50 years
The Crime Victims Council began serving the Lehigh Valley in 1973 with a focus on victims of sexual assault, but it has since expanded its services to victims of all crimes, such as domestic violence and robbery. CVCLV also works with families of murder victims.
Victims based in Lehigh and Northampton counties can receive free, confidential mental health counseling at the nonprofit’s Allentown office or its satellite office in Bethlehem at 65 East Elizabeth Avenue, Suite 110.
Counseling sessions are usually held once per week and last 50 minutes, said Kelsey Savarese, CVCLV’s direct services supervisor. There is a variable waitlist for sessions that can last up to a few months depending on the time slot a client is seeking. Evening therapy sessions are in higher demand, so the wait is longer. Spanish-speaking counselors are available.
“This is a piece of you. It’s a part of your life now, so it’s less about moving on, and [instead how] we move forward in a productive way where you’re OK and you’re able to do this without us.”Kelsey Savarese, direct services supervisor, Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley
Savarese said mental health counseling through the Crime Victims Council is meant to be a short-term service, but there’s no cut-off for how long someone can work with a counselor. She estimated clients work with a CVCLV counselor for about a year to learn coping skills.
“When a trauma happens, I don’t know that there’s really moving on from that,” Savarese said. “This is a piece of you. It’s a part of your life now, so it’s less about moving on, and [instead how] we move forward in a productive way where you’re OK and you’re able to do this without us.”
The nonprofit also has a 24-hour hotline that is monitored by a staff member or volunteer who has received a 40-hour training on sexual assault counseling. The hotline number is 610-437-6611. People can call the hotline and remain anonymous if they’d like.
The hotline advocates can talk with someone about navigating a mental health challenge or help connect them to CVCLV’s other services.
Grigonis said it doesn’t matter if a crime happened five hours ago or five years ago – people should reach out whenever they want to begin their healing journey.
Multifaceted services
From January to September, the Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley has served 700 victims and taken 250 hotline calls, according to data provided by Grigonis.
From October 2022 to October 2023, the organization helped 2,364 victims and took 1,455 hotline calls. Grigonis said the number of victims CVCLV served dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic and spiked the following year before settling out in the last couple years.
This is because many victims were at home with perpetrators and didn’t have alone time to reach out for help until pandemic lockdowns ended, she said.
"It’s not your fault. This was done to you. You did nothing wrong, and it was very brave of you to come forward. And you don’t have to do this by yourself."Samantha Gordillo, lead victim advocate in Lehigh County
In recent years, Grigonis said the organization has been focused on making sure victims are receiving multiple services if they need them. This has been made easier through increased staffing. There are currently 24 staff members at CVCLV.
The Crime Victims Council's community outreach team works with local schools to provide group counseling to children on topics like anger management and healthy relationships.
Additionally, CVCLV advocates offer accompaniment services and will come with victims to the hospital, police station or court if needed.
Samantha Gordillo, lead victim advocate in Lehigh County, accompanies victims to court. She helps them navigate the judicial system by explaining how court proceedings work and assisting them with victim impact statements.
“We need more of us,” Gordillo said. “It’s a really intimidating process. For someone to even come forward and disclose what has happened to them is hard enough.”
She also helps victims apply for a state reimbursement that’s available to compensate victims for costs related to the crime they experienced. These funds could help pay for medical bills or a funeral, among other expenses.
Gordillo and her CVCLV colleagues ultimately work to remind victims they still have a voice.
“It’s not your fault," Gordillo said. "This was done to you. You did nothing wrong, and it was very brave of you to come forward.
“And you don’t have to do this by yourself.”
Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley has a 24-hour hotline: 610-437-6611.
