Light a Virtual Candle for Victims/Survivors
By MADD | April 24, 2012 | Filed in: Victim Services

In honor of National Crimes Victims’ Rights Week, we are asking everyone to take part in our online tribute, and light a virtual candle in honor of a loved one who was killed or injured in a drunk driving crash.

Why a tribute:

• It is an easy way to honor or remember someone dear to you, and at the same time contribute to MADD’s work. In 2010 alone, MADD served a victim or survivor of drunk driving every nine minutes.
• It allows you to tell your story about your loved one and why you are supporting MADD.
• It allows you to raise awareness about the importance of eliminating drunk driving.

Participate in our online tribute now by lighting your virtual candle.

2012 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
By MADD | April 23, 2012 | Filed in: Victim Services

Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has challenged the nation to extend its vision of crime victims’ rights, while providing services to reach every victim of crime.

MADD celebrates this important week by honoring the advocates who help our organization serve one victim every nine minutes.  Across the country, our trained Victim Advocates provide vital support to individuals affected by drunk and drugged driving.

This year’s theme, Extending the Vision: Reaching Every Victim, aligns perfectly with MADD’s goal to serve more victims of drunk and drugged driving, but to do this, we need more volunteer victim advocates.  You can help by becoming a MADD Victim Advocate or by spreading the word about MADD's victim support services.

You can also support crime victims by helping to protect VOCA funding by contacting your lawmakers today. Assisting crime victims is a critical service and VOCA provides a reasonable, fair and cost effective way to assist Americans in their hour of need. 

If you are a victim, call MADD's 24/7 Victim/Survivor Support Line at 1-877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435) to speak with a victim advocate at no cost, or send us an email at victims@madd.org.

Why We're Here: Natalie Evaro
By MADD | April 11, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , Power of Parents , Underage Drinking , Victim Services , Victim Stories

On October 18, 2008, the world got a little dimmer when Natalie Evaro died in a drunk driving crash.  Natalie’s family called her Miss Sunshine, because she was always so bright and cheerful, and lit up the room.  Natalie, an honor student, was preparing to start her sophomore year at Middle Tennessee State University and had dreams of studying abroad. 

Natalie was working at a restaurant and bar with a very “loose” policy on alcohol use.   Despite the fact that Natalie was only 20, her employers saw no issues with allowing Natalie, and the other restaurant staff, to drink alcohol during and after their shifts; they even provided the drinks.  Early in the morning on October 18th, after grabbing a couple of drinks with coworkers after her shift,  Natalie got in her car to drive home to her apartment.  Unfortunately,  she never made it. At 3:30 a.m., only three blocks away from the restaurant, Natalie crashed into a metal utility pole while exiting the highway and was ejected from her car.  She was taken off life support two days later.

Natalie’s parents, Gene and Melissa, were always very open and had many conversations with Natalie and her siblings about the dangers of drugs and alcohol; they never suspected that she had started drinking.  It wasn’t until after the crash that they found out that she had frequently been drinking at work, and then driving home.  It was a shocking realization to her parent because she was a smart girl who knew better than to drink and drive. But they also know that young people are easily influenced by their peers, and that alcohol causes loss of judgment.

The night of Natalie’s crash, she was the only person to drive herself home from the restaurant; all the other employees took cabs, leaving Natalie’s parents to ask, “Why did no one try to stop her?”

There are a lot of factors that contributed to Natalie’s death, including the restaurant that served a minor, her coworkers, manager and owners that did not stop her from driving, and of course, the fatal decision made by Natalie to drink underage and then attempt to drive.

Natalie’s parents now know that just because your child has left the nest, doesn’t mean your job is done, and they want to share Natalie’s story in hopes of making a difference— in hopes of saving even one life. 

When asked what advice they have for other parents, they said, “Communication.  Don’t think for a moment that when the kids go off to college that our jobs as parents are any less important or hands on.  If anything, this is when you have to really watch what they are doing.  The main thing is to always talk to them. Check out where they are working, who they are involved with and see for yourself that is a good, safe environment for them to be in.  Believe me, it’s worth it.”

It’s because of families like the Evaro’s that MADD created the Power of Parent™ program, to give parents the tools they need to have these lifesaving conversations with their kids.  Even if your kid is a “good kid,” or a “smart kid,” they can still make bad decisions.  Bad decisions like drinking underage, riding in a car with someone who has been drinking, or drinking and driving, that could threaten their lives.

Parents have the power to help kids make healthy decisions that can keep them safe. In fact, research shows that parents are the primary influence on their kids’ decisions about whether or not to drink alcohol.  That’s why MADD created Powertalk21®, the national day, on April 21st, to start talking about teens and alcohol.  Each year, we focus on reaching as many parents as possible, with the vision that April 21st will become widely known as the day to talk about kids and alcohol.  In preparation for PowerTalk21, parents can get tips and conversation starters, download the parent handbook and find a free 30-minute parent workshop at www.madd.org/powertalk21.

Spring 2012 MADDvocate™
By MADD | April 6, 2012 | Filed in: General , Victim Services

The Spring 2012 issue of MADDvocate is available. Read the latest issue of our online magazine that is helping survivors survive.

Help MADD protect VOCA funding
By MADD | March 16, 2012 | Filed in: Victim Services

In 1984, Congress created the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and the Crime Victims Fund, which provides funds to organizations, like MADD, for victim assistance and compensation programs that offer support and services to those affected by violent crimes.  Because the Crime Victims Fund comes entirely from criminal fines and other penalties, spending from the Fund does not add to the national debt or deficit and does not hurt taxpayers. 

MADD relies on VOCA funds to help serve drunk driving victims in many states.  Last year, MADD served over 60,000 drunk and drugged driving victims at no charge—one person every nine minutes.  Although we are proud that drunk driving has been cut in half in the 30 years since our founding, there are still over 10,000 people killed and 350,000 injured each year due to this violent crime.  VOCA funding is critical to help us achieve our mission of serving victims of drunk driving. 

In the Administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2013 budget, the VOCA cap would be increased from $705 million to $1.07 billion—BUT, $365 million would then be transferred out of the Crime Victims Fund and reallocated to support other programs, rather than using that money to help victims.  If this happens, it means that VOCA funds will not be safe in the future and any time Congress needs to fund a program, it could come at the expense of helping victims. 

MADD encourages Congress to raise the VOCA cap to $1 billion per year to help victims of crime, but not to raid this money to pay for other programs.

Assisting crime victims is a critical service and VOCA provides a reasonable, fair, and cost effective way to assist Americans in their hour of need.  Please help us protect VOCA funding by contacting your lawmakers today.