Leading Sonoma County in the elimination of sexual assault and human trafficking through prevention, and the support of survivors through intervention and healing.

I have been volunteering for Verity for the past six months. As a survivor myself, I never found a support group that was dedicated to following up with survivors. I wanted to give back to the community, support and listen to other survivors when they need someone to talk to, and let them know that they are not alone and that we are here for them in every possible way. It’s really rewarding when I know survivors have gotten the help they need and deserve. It's been an honor to volunteer for such a fantastic organization.

Volunteering for Verity has become an invaluable experience for me and my desire to help others. As a psychology graduate and a survivor of sexual assault, I understand some of the pain and suffering one might experience after trauma. Volunteering for Verity gives me the avenue to help others with compassion and understanding. We provide the community a haven to find solace and guidance when suffering from mental afflictions. Becoming an advocate helps survivors move forward with security and confidentiality while giving advocates the satisfaction of making someone’s life a little easier for today.

After a rewarding career in social work and public health, I chose to volunteer with organizations dear to me. I am a survivor of sexual assault, and after my unsuccessful search for support in the 1990s, I resolved to help make a difference. I jumped at the chance to complete Verity's Crisis Line Counselor training in 2022, which prepared me to advocate for survivors during those first difficult hours at the hospital and Redwood Children's Center. Verity staff and volunteers are incredibly supportive, and I look forward to many more years as a Verity volunteer with my support dogs, Velvet and Linus.

I've been a volunteer crisis line counselor at Verity for about nine months. I am proud to be a part of an organization that aims to assist survivors gain access to resources, help them regain their power, and support their choices. I've always felt that my vocation was to help others and I love that I can do that as a counselor at Verity. I also appreciate all the support from my supervisors, on-call managers, and other counselors. I am not alone in my growth in learning how to help the community around me, which I am grateful for.