Hi Survivor,

Happy New Year! As we step into 2025, we are filled with hope and determination to continue amplifying the voices of survivors and driving meaningful change in our communities. Together, we’ve made incredible strides, and we’re ready to build on that momentum in the year ahead.

January is a time for reflection and renewal. It’s also National Stalking Awareness Month—a vital reminder of why our work remains essential. Survivors deserve safety, healing, and justice, and through your advocacy and leadership, we are creating a future where these needs are met.

This year, we’ll be focusing on deepening our impact by:

• Empowering local leaders to drive change in their communities.
• Expanding support networks to help more survivors heal and thrive.
• Advocating for victims' compensation to ensure survivors receive the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Stay connected by attending our upcoming events, sharing your story, or joining our advocacy efforts. Together, we are powerful.

Here’s to a year of hope, progress, and healing!

In solidarity, 

Jonathon Lewis 

Managing Director 

Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice

It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of Bertha Purnell, the beloved Chicago Chapter Coordinator for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. She also founded her own organization, MothersOnAMission28, dedicated to supporting families who've lost loved ones to gun violence. In many ways, she has been the heart of our CSSJ membership for the past decade.

Bertha was a tireless advocate for crime survivors, and her impact on the CSSJ community and beyond will never be forgotten.

As a leader, Bertha embodied the values that are at the core of our mission: empathy, forgiveness, justice, and a relentless drive to create safer, more supportive environments for survivors. Her work in Chicago was not just about organizing events or advocacy—it was about creating spaces where survivors could find their voices, heal from their trauma, and unite for collective action.

From Bertha’s leadership in helping to make historic changes to victim compensation laws in Illinois, supporting mothers and families in the aftermath of violence, bringing together survivors and law enforcement to participate in healing circles, and using her powerful voice as our featured speaker at the Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington, D.C.

Bertha’s commitment to the survivors she served was remarkable. She listened with compassion, acted with integrity, and always stood up for those who needed it most. Her approach was rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to heal, regardless of the tragedy they have faced.

While we mourn Bertha's loss, we also celebrate the incredible legacy she leaves behind. Her passion, dedication, and selflessness have made an incredible mark on the work we do and on the lives of everyone who had the privilege to know her. Bertha’s legacy is not only in the programs she helped build but also in the countless lives she touched with her love and leadership.

As we move forward in our mission, we do so with Bertha’s spirit guiding us. We honor her by continuing the work she so deeply believed in, and we remain committed to creating a world where every survivor has the support and resources they need to heal and rebuild their lives.

When Survivors Speak, Change Happens. When Bertha spoke so many people listened, and so many changes happened.

I know Bertha would want us to keep pushing forward. She would want us to continue the work we’ve started, to stay committed to our mission, and to always honor the strength of survivors.

Bertha, you will forever be in our hearts. Your work lives on in every person whose life you impacted, and your legacy will continue to inspire us all.

A new report from the Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) and Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ) reveals a violent side of America’s housing crisis: along with major financial strain caused by rising rents and inflation renters are far more likely to become victims of violence. Renters are three-times more likely to suffer aggravated assault, robbery, rape and sexual assault than Americans in owner-occupied housing. The disparity persists across income levels, racial and ethnic groups, and age, according to analyses of federal data released today by ASJ.

The report, “The Keys to Safety,” highlights the parallel housing and safety crises affecting the 35% of Americans who rent their homes. Rising rents have left many renters with few financial resources at the same time that housing policies have left renters unable to take many steps to make themselves safe. Housing policies can take the keys to safety – secure housing, the ability to move to safe housing, and the authority to make a home safe – out of the hands of many Americans.

“People who rent their homes bear the brunt of violence in America and many lack the resources and protections they need to heal, recover and make themselves and their families safe,” said Aswad Thomas, gun violence survivor and vice president of Alliance for Safety and Justice. “While the reasons that renters experience a disproportionate share of violence may be complex, there are straightforward protections our elected leaders can enact to improve public safety.”

Click here to read the full report - The Keys to Safety

Delicious news! Get local dining discounts with your CSSJ MyDeals benefit. 

The app allows you to show your discounts right from your phone:

• iPhone App: Press here to Download! 
• Android App: Press here to Download!

Once you get the app, sign up with your email address and the code “CSSJ”. 

And don’t forget about all the resources CSSJ has for you. Click here for more: https://linktr.ee/cssjmsp 

The Crime Survivors Speak Podcast shares the stories of survivor leaders transforming our nation’s safety and justice systems. Join visionary survivor leader Aswad Thomas as he shares the mic with everyday people impacted by crime that are moving from healing to action and winning real change for communities across the country. Listen to episodes at https://cssj.org/podcast.

If you're interested in being a guest, please complete this PODCAST GUEST QUESTIONNAIRE. Submission doesn’t guarantee you will be selected to be a guest on the podcast.

Starting this month, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice will feature a special section in our monthly newsletter dedicated to grant opportunities. This resource will highlight funding opportunities for organizations working to support survivors, advance healing, and promote safety in our communities. Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to help your organization grow and make an even greater impact! Together, we can build a stronger future for survivors everywhere.

We’re excited to share details about a new funding opportunity from OVC’s National Center for Culturally Responsive Victim Services. The Center recently released its Culturally Responsive Victim Services Grant Program which will provide awards of $50,000 and $100,000 to support victim-serving organizations. The Center developed the CVRS Program to address critical gaps in organizational infrastructure, program delivery, and survivor support to increase the capacity of culturally-specific organizations. Through this funding, the Center aims to:

• Strengthen Organizational Capacity to provide support to survivors.
• Support Survivors through Targeted and Direct Services.
• Foster Community Engagement and Awareness.
• Promote Program Innovation and Evaluation.
• Expand Strategic Partnerships and Network Development.

The application deadline is January 23, 2025. Questions about this opportunity can be sent to [email protected].

Visit the website https://ovc.ojp.gov/subscribe/news-from-ovc to subscribe to news from the Office for Victims of Crime to receive funding announcements.

To search all federal grant opportunities visit http://Grants.gov