Recent Survivor Support Action steps taken:

• Manhattan Eastside and Westside VOTF affiliates donated the first years annual rent for SNAP’S monthly support meeting at Identity House.
• Participated in leafleting parishes where zero tolerance is not being observed.
• Attended Lobby day in Albany on April 20th. Met with members of congress and senate to lobby for survivor support.
• Researched Catholic Libraries to document available resources (including the Official Catholic Directory) and their accessibility for survivors.
  

Current Issues:

• Take Action Now!!!
  Write Letters to the Editor in Support of the new SNAP LI Chapter!
• Cardinal Law's New Position in the Vatican
  - Statement by David Clohessy, SNAP National Director
  - Paul Dinter
• Tom Doyle - words of thanks and encouragement from the 1st recipient of VOTF Priest of Integrity Award who was abruptly dismissed from the Air Force chaplaincy.

Future plans:

• Attend a yearlong series of City Council hearings on issues of sexual assault.
• Combine efforts with other VOTF affiliates and other survivor support organizations, to maximize our impact.
• Continue to reach out to Survivor organizations and offer support.
• Contact Victim Assistance Coordinators of the Archdiocese
  

Important Links:

• USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
• USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People - Spanish version
• Survivor's Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP)
• BishopAccountability.org
• National Catholic Reporter

Ways of showing support:

Legal: Lobby for Legislative Changes to support the survivors

• Extend statute of limitations for criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits over child sex abuse.

Financial

• Sponsor survivors at important conferences where their voices need to be heard.
• Purchase your books through the SNAP website, proceeds benefit SNAP.
• SNAP has been certified as an eligible charity through the Combined Federal Campaign. If you are a federal employee you can select SNAP as a designated charity and contribute to their important work through every paycheck. Please call or e-mail David Cerulli with questions. David's phone # is 917-757-1791, his e-mail address is snapnyc@rcn.com.

Spiritual

• Publicly and privately pray for the survivors.
• Sponsor Retreats for survivors.

Emotional

• Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper – This is a great way to reach out to survivors in the general public. After reading an article about clergy abuse, write a letter to the editor in support of survivors; let them know that you are on their side.
• Tell Survivors about the monthly Manhattan SNAP Survivor support meetings at Identity House, 39 W. 14th Street, Suite 205 (btw. 5th & 6th Avenues, closer to 6th) Call David Cerulli at (917) 757-1791.

Education - Prevention

• Educate children so that they can protect themselves from predators under any guise.
• Participate in the SAFE environment program in your diocese.