HOPLAND, Calif. – The Hopland Band of Pomo Indians has received federal funding to promote community awareness of crime victims’ rights and services during 2019 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7 to 13.

The funding will be used to develop and disseminate culturally specific outreach, award a local artist/photographer for a winning art submission used for the outreach materials, and to offer a 5k Run/Walk and Resource Fair open to all, on April 13 as part of a Community Awareness Project addressing awareness to crime victims’ rights within the native community.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, or OVC, through the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators, or NAVAA.

First designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week increases general public awareness of, and knowledge about the wide range of rights and services available to people who have been victimized by crime.

The theme for 2019 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.”

“The support from OVC and NAVAA for our 2019 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities will help us help crime victims,” said Sonny J. Elliott, chairman of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians. “Members of our community are encouraged to honor the past achievements of programs that aid crime victims and survivors, and join us in creating hope for a future where all crime survivors are treated with dignity and respect, and receive the services they need and deserve.”

Since 2004, OVC’s NCVRW Community Awareness Project has provided financial and technical assistance to more than 1,000 community projects that promote victim and public awareness activities, and innovative approaches to victim/survivor outreach and public education about victims’ rights and services during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

Hopland’s program was one of the 92 projects recommended by NAVAA and selected for funding by OVC for 2019 from the 200 applications that were submitted nationwide.

For additional information about 2019 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services, please contact Hopland Tribal Crisis Advocate Leah Sautelet at 707-472-2100 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For information about national efforts to promote 2019 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at www.ovc.gov/ncvrw.