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At NOVA, we recognize that healing begins with understanding—and sometimes, understanding starts with language. This Valentine’s Day, we want to celebrate the compassion of our therapists and Victim Advocates and the unwavering support of our donors, volunteers, and community partners who make their work possible.
Our therapists and advocates bring extraordinary diversity to our trauma-focused care, offering therapy in Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Eastern European languages. By speaking to victims and survivors in their native languages, they create safe, comforting spaces where barriers are broken, trust is built, and healing begins.
Every session conducted in a survivor’s own language demonstrates the love and commitment we have for our community. It is a reminder that everyone deserves to be heard and understood, no matter where they come from or what they’ve endured.
Thank you for being part of our mission and for helping us spread love, one word at a time.
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Breaking Barriers: NOVA's Commitment to Multilingual Support and Inclusion | |
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At NOVA, we are committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has access to the services that they need. To better serve our population, in addition to English, we have counselors on staff who speak Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and Czech, and a Spanish-speaking Victim Advocate. If an individual in need of NOVA's services speaks a language other than the ones listed, we work with interpreters, and services such as Language Line, and Globo to ensure they receive the support that they need. By providing services in multiple languages, we aim to break down barriers to access and create a welcoming, inclusive environment.
No matter where you are on your journey, NOVA is here to support you because all survivors deserve to be heard. If you're unsure where to start, call the 24/7 NOVA Helpline at 1-800-675-6900 or visit our website for a chat option. Our compassionate team will work with you to ensure you receive the care and support you need.
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Consent is Sweet: A Valentine's Day Reminder
This Valentine’s Day let’s celebrate love, respect, and healthy relationships by talking about consent. At NOVA, we emphasize the importance of understanding and practicing consent in every type of interaction, romantic or otherwise. Remember, consent is as sweet as it is essential when it follows the FRIES model:
Freely Given: Consent means saying “yes” without force, pressure, or manipulation. True consent doesn’t rely on coercion—it’s freely given, every time.
Reversible: Just like changing your mind about plans, consent can be withdrawn at any time. If someone no longer feels comfortable, activities should stop immediately.
Informed: Consent requires honesty and understanding. Everyone should know the context of what they’re agreeing to so they can make the best decision for themselves.
Enthusiastic: Consent isn’t just about the absence of a “no”; it’s about the presence of a clear, excited, and enthusiastic “yes.” Everyone involved should feel genuinely happy and eager to participate, without any doubt or hesitation.
Specific: Saying “yes” to one thing doesn’t mean agreeing to everything. Consent is clear and specific to each activity, every time.
It’s also important to remember that biological responses are not consent—the body’s reaction does not equate to agreement. Most often, perpetrators of sexual violence are someone the victim knows and trusts, which is why open and ongoing conversations about consent are vital.
This Valentine’s Day and beyond, let’s commit to spreading love by championing consent, empowering one another, and fostering safe, respectful relationships.
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Julie Dugery, Coordinator of Volunteers and Community Outreach
Can you give a brief description of your role with NOVA?
I am the Coordinator of Volunteers and Community Outreach. I also serve as co-chair of the NOVA Public Policy Committee and the Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking, a project of NOVA.
How long have you been working at NOVA?
20 years!
What is your favorite part about working at NOVA?
My role takes me into so many different spaces and allows me to work with so many people -from our wonderful volunteers to community members to staff here at NOVA and with community partners-this is the most interesting job I have ever had!
How do you support NOVA's mission in your role?
I have the privilege of recruiting, training and supporting a dedicated team of volunteers who share their talents by providing direct services to clients as well as community volunteers who donate their time to assist with the many other tasks and projects that support NOVA’s mission. Working with our elected officials and our partners in anti-human trafficking space helps to elevate victim concerns and find solutions to make our community safe.
What is something you have learned in your 20 years at NOVA?
The strength and resilience of survivors is a powerful inspiration and has carried me through challenging times in my work. I hope that everyone in our community has a chance to hear survivor voices and be inspired by their stories.
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Lori Fisher, Prevention Educator
Can you give a brief description of your role with NOVA?
I’m an educator. For 20 years, I’ve gone into local schools to speak to students from the ages of 3-19 about how to stay safe and what to do if they don’t feel safe.
How long have you been working at NOVA?
20 years!
What is your favorite part about working at NOVA?
I like that we all work as a team to achieve the same goals. We help empower people of all ages and from many different backgrounds.
How do you support NOVA's mission in your role?
By not only connecting with students and teachers to spread the word about NOVA and what we do, but also teaching them that there are people who care and can help them.
What is something you have learned in your 20 years at NOVA?
I’ve learned a lot about empathy and how important it is when talking to others. I try to remind myself that I don’t know about someone else’s ‘invisible backpack.”
We appreciate your dedication to serving victims of crime!
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SuperNova: A Galactic Gala Benefiting NOVA
April 3, 2025
Before they went to the moon, they came here... Join us for a galactic gala under the historic Johnsville Centrifuge benefiting NOVA.
Mark your calendars for NOVA's 2025 Fundraising Gala: SuperNova! We're thrilled for this spectacular evening, happening on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at The Fuge. Get ready for an unforgettable night—tickets on sale now!
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Candlelight Tribute for Victims of Crime
April 22, 2025
NOVA invites the community to join us on Tuesday, April 22nd, in honoring victims of crime, their families and friends, and those who serve them. This tribute of reflection, music, and victim/survivor experiences brings all in our community together for healing and awareness. Also featured is an exhibit of victim and survivor artwork.
No RSVP is needed to attend this event. For more details, please click here.
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NOVA Office Closure
The NOVA offices will be closed on Monday, February 17th due to the Presidents' Day holiday.
NOVA's 24/7 Helpline will remain open and available at 1-800-675-6900.
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NOVA is Nominated! Submit Your Vote for the Bucks Happening List
We’re excited to announce that NOVA's Upstander Day has been nominated for the 2025 Bucks Happening List in the Everything Bucks: Family Event category!
Voting is open now until midnight on Friday, February 28th, 2025. Help us shine a spotlight on Upstander Day by casting your vote and sharing with your friends and family. Let’s show Bucks County how we come together to make a difference!
VOTE NOW!
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NOVA is Hiring!
NOVA is currently hiring for the following position:
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Director of Development — The Development Director will be an enthusiastic fundraising professional eager to embrace NOVA’s mission of supporting victims of sexual assault and other crimes and building a safer community through violence prevention. This role will be responsible for managing NOVA’s development operations ensuring that individual, corporate, and foundation donors are engaged to support the growth and sustainability of the organization.
To learn more and how to apply, please visit novabucks.org/employment.
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Try the NOVA RX Savings Card!
NOVA has partnered with WellSync to provide essential medications at discounted rates, all while benefiting NOVA. Every time you use your card, NOVA receives a $2 donation at no cost to you. Make a difference with each medication purchase!
Click the image to the right to access and download your printable card.
Print this page and cut out the RX Savings Card along the dotted line. Take your card to any of the 35,000 participating pharmacies. Present your card with your valid prescription and the pharmacies will apply the discount.
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Why Third-Party Fundraising Matters: A Story from Brian Compas's Santa Crawl
For Brian Compas, supporting NOVA was deeply personal. His wife had struggled with unresolved trauma, keeping it hidden until their daughters had entered her teenage years. Unsure of where to turn, Brian went to Google, found NOVA and thought, “Let’s give them a try.” Grateful for the help and support they received; he felt compelled to give back. “If I ever got a chance to raise money for an organization, it would be NOVA. They provide unbelievable services to the local community free of charge and are exactly the kind of resource people need in emergency situations when they don’t know where to turn.”
Inspired by a similar event in Philadelphia, Brian and his friends Michael Rosiak and Dave Owings organized a bar crawl in Doylestown. This past December, they raised over $1,000 in a single night for NOVA. Brian’s story is a perfect example of how third-party fundraising makes a real difference. It's not just about the funds—it’s about building community, raising awareness, and connecting people to the vital services NOVA provides.
Through his efforts, Brian shares this about NOVA: “NOVA steers you in the right direction, when you don’t know where to go.”
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NOVA Thrift Shop was featured in a segment on FOX 29's Good Day Philadelphia, giving us the opportunity to share NOVA's mission with our larger community! Watch the full segment below or click here. | |
Throughout National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we participated in the Red Sand Project by filling sidewalk cracks with red sand to both highlight the victims of human trafficking and raise awareness of the steps needed to end this crime. | |
The Bucks County Commissioners issued a Proclamation to declare January National Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Bucks County. Representatives from the Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking (BCAT), NOVA, and various other local organizations accepted the proclamation. | |
We have been hard at work prepping for NOVA's biggest fundraising event of 2025: SuperNova! We're working hard to make sure that it will truly be an unforgettable night that's out of this world. Here's a tiny sneak peek of what the night will look like... Secure your tickets now! | |
"Thank you to my counselor for the time and effort you put in to make me a better person and help me throughout this difficult process."
- NOVA Client
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This month, NOVA Thrift Shop was featured on FOX 29's Good Day Philadelphia. We are beyond appreciative to have the opportunity to share NOVA's mission with the community and show off some nifty NOVA Thrift finds! Click to watch the full segment on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook. | | |
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SnuggleBee
Snugglebee's mission is to "get cozy with a cause!" A portion of their proceeds from their blankets and tea towels, made from 100% cotton, and their reusable food wraps, made from all natural materials, go to non-profits including NOVA!
Snugglebee's mission is deeply rooted in the desire to support children who have faced the unimaginable challenges of abuse, and they are committed to doing their part to help.
| Thank you to SnuggleBee for being a Voice Against Violence and helping to make a difference in our community! |
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Whether you donate an item from NOVA's wish list, funds, or your time, know you are making a difference. | |
Elevate Your Impact In Style
NOVA has merch! If you want to represent your favorite non-profit in wearable form, we have you covered with a variety options. Whether you're looking for a classic tee, a sweatshirt, or a hat, items are available in multiple colors and designs. Join us in honoring our 50 year milestone by ordering today! Browse the collection here.
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