St. Jude House Awarded National Grant to Strengthen Victim Awareness and Community Response

Crown Point, IN — St. Jude House, a domestic violence prevention and support center serving Crown Point, Indiana and the Lake County area, has been awarded a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) Community Awareness Grant to expand outreach, education, and victim‑rights awareness during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 19–25, 2026.

The grant supports the distribution of educational materials, referral resources, and partner toolkits throughout the community to increase awareness of victims’ rights, highlight available services, and encourage a trauma‑informed response to victims of crime.

The 2026 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week theme, “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims. Serve communities.” — underscores the essential role communities play in supporting survivors. “This project allows us to strengthen community partnerships while ensuring survivors and community members know that help and support are available,” said Zanetta Miller, Director of Development at St. Jude House. “National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a vital opportunity to share resources, elevate survivor voices, and remind our community that safety, dignity, and support matter.”

As part of the initiative, St. Jude House is partnering with local organizations to host visible resource displays and distribute victim‑service information in public and community‑based settings. Participating partners include the Hobart Police Department, Centier Bank, Geminus Head Start, and other community organizations.

St. Jude House provides free, confidential services to survivors of domestic violence and their children, including crisis intervention, advocacy, emergency shelter, and supportive services. For more information about St. Jude House, please contact Zanetta Miller at zmiller@stjudehouse.org or visit www.stjudehouse.org. To learn more about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities, visit www.stjudehouse.org or https://ovc.ojp.gov/events.

St. Jude House, Inc. is a domestic violence prevention and support center committed to providing safety, healing, and empowerment to survivors and their families throughout Lake County and surrounding communities.

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), within the U.S. Department of Justice, leads National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to promote victims’ rights, access to services, and community‑based support nationwide.