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As we close out NOVA’s fiscal year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed—whether through direct financial support, shopping or donating at NOVA Thrift Shop, volunteering, or simply sharing our mission with others. Your commitment helps us continue to provide critical services to victims of crime and educate the children and adults of our community on how to remain safe.
We are at a pivotal moment. With federal, state, and local funding either stagnant or facing potential cuts, NOVA is taking steps to prepare for what could be a significant shift in our funding landscape and the services that we provide. That’s why your continued support—through the Thrift Shop, increased financial contributions, or both—is more important than ever.
We also encourage you to raise your voice. Contacting your state and federal elected officials to advocate for the protection and expansion of victim service funding can make a real difference. To learn more about our legislative focus, please reach out to Julie Dugery, at julied@novabucks.org, or myself at pettinger@novabucks.org.
If you have questions or want to learn more about how to get involved, we are here.
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| Heatwave of Hope: NOVA’s Christmas in July | | |
This July, you can make a real difference by joining NOVA in celebrating Christmas in July, a month-long giving campaign to support victims of sexual assault and other crimes in our community.
Because of recent budget cuts, the items on NOVA’s Wishlist are more important than ever. These items aren’t just “nice to have”... they are essential to helping children and adults feel safe, supported, and cared for during incredibly difficult times in their lives.
By purchasing items from our Amazon Wishlist, you’re directly contributing to the healing process. Some items, like snacks, coffee, puzzles, and fidget toys, help ease the stress of a visit to NOVA. Others, like Play-Doh, journals, dolls, and art supplies, are tools we use every day when providing trauma-informed services.
Want to help, but prefer not to shop on Amazon? You can also support us by:
- Donating a gift card instead - gift cards to stores such as Amazon, Michaels, Target, Walmart, and BJ's are most helpful. Gift cards can be dropped or mailed to our main office at 2370 York Road, Suite B1, Jamison, PA 18929.
If you're looking for a meaningful way to give this summer, please consider supporting NOVA. Your generosity directly supports our mission of Supporting Victims and Stopping Violence, as well as bringing comfort, dignity, and hope to those who need it most.
Let’s make July a month of giving and compassion!
| | Sextortion: The Fastest Growing Cybercrime Targeting Children | | |
Not too long ago, teens would rush home from school to call their friends on a landline phone mounted to the wall. Today, their social lives are lived almost entirely online through technology they carry around in their pockets. While technology has changed how young people connect, it’s also opened the door to new risks. One growing concern is how predators are using these platforms to exploit and blackmail kids, sometimes through dating apps, social media, and even gaming systems. This issue isn’t limited to girls anymore. Increasingly, younger and younger children, particularly boys, are being targeted.
In 2019, Pennsylvania recognized the seriousness of this issue by making sextortion a criminal offense. Sextortion happens when someone threatens to share private or explicit content unless the victim provides more images, sexual favors, or money. These threats are designed to create a whirlwind of fear, shame, and chaos very quickly to exploit and gain control over victims, making them feel like they have no one to turn to. It’s important to remind youth that this is not their fault.
Our best protection against sextortion is open communication with our children. These situations can feel incredibly overwhelming, especially when trust has been broken and shame sets in. Kids may be too scared or embarrassed to speak up, which is why they need caring adults who are willing to have tough conversations.
Talking with your children about what to do if someone hurts them (online or offline) is where to start. Have these conversations early and have them often. Let them know that if someone ever tries to hurt them, they can come to you without fear. No young person should have to go through this alone.
To learn more about the intersection of child abuse and technology, visit resources such as Thorn and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. If you or someone you know has been affected by a situation like this, NOVA's 24/7 Helpline is available at 1-800-675-6900.
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Celebrating NOVA Volunteer Milestones!
We have several NOVA volunteers that have hit big milestones this year! Thank you to our amazing volunteers for all the ways their volunteer efforts help NOVA make a difference in the lives of the clients, victims, and community we serve. We could not do it without you!
The following volunteers are recognized for celebrating these amazing milestones:
10 Years:
- Maryann Edwards
- Barbara Hampel
- Nancy Kapper
- Ruth Miller
5 Years:
- Ann Marie Masgai
- Betty Doty
| | Pictured (L to R) are Maria White, NOVA Thrift Shop Manager; NOVA volunteers Ruth Miller (10 years), Nancy Kapper (10 years), Maryann Edwards (10 years), and Betty Doty (5 years); and Julie Dugery, Coordinator of Volunteers and Community Engagement, NOVA. Not pictured are Barbara Hampel (10 years) and Ann Marie Masgai (5 years). | | We appreciate your dedication to serving victims of crime, and we are proud to have had you as part of the NOVA Team! | |
Designer Bag Bingo
October 17, 2025
Designer Bag Bingo is officially back! Join us on Friday, October 17th at 6:30 PM for the grand return of NOVA's Designer Bag Bingo benefiting the Bucks County Children's Advocacy Center. Come play for a chance to win a variety of designer handbags while supporting a good cause!
Tickets go on sale Friday, August 1st. Mark your calendars, as tickets are expected to sell out very quickly!
We are still accepting sponsors for this event! Interested? Click here.
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Upcoming Closures + Summer Office Hours
The NOVA offices and NOVA Thrift Shop will be closed Friday, July 4th in honor of Independence Day.
We are giving the NOVA team a mental health break! NOVA's staff works tirelessly day in and day out to ensure that all victims and survivors of sexual assault and other crimes receive the support, care, compassion, and help they need. We can't think of a better way to thank them then by giving them time off. This summer, NOVA's offices will close at 2 p.m. each Friday between May 23rd and August 30th for Summer Fridays, giving NOVA staff time to relax and recharge.
NOVA's 24/7 Helpline is always available at 1-800-675-6900.
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New NOVA Merch!
Exciting News: NOVA has launched a brand-new merch store!
Now you can wear your support for your favorite local nonprofit and help spread the word about our mission in style.
From classic tees and cozy sweatshirts to hats and accessories, there's something for everyone, available in multiple colors and more designs than ever before!
Even better? With every purchase, NOVA receives 10–15% back to help fund our work supporting victims and stopping violence.
Browse the new collection and shop with purpose here.
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Join NOVA's Upcoming Sexual Assault Counselor (SAC) Training!
Interested in becoming a NOVA volunteer for our 24/7 Phone Helpline or supporting victims of sexual assault and other crimes during emergency room visits or police interviews?
SAC Training consists of individual sessions on specific topics conducted by NOVA staff members who are experts in these areas. The training is free of charge and will be presented by NOVA professionals at our Jamison office. Volunteers will attend sessions to learn how to best respond to Helpline calls and provide victim/survivor-centered and trauma-informed support during emergency room visits or police interviews.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years-old, have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation (needed for emergency room visits or police interviews), meet all required clearances (child abuse, criminal record check, and FBI fingerprinting), complete a 45-hour training program, and, upon acceptance into the program, sign a confidentiality agreement.
Upcoming SAC Training will consist primarily of evening sessions.
If you are interested in completing SAC Training and becoming a NOVA Volunteer, please contact Julie Dugery, Coordinator of Volunteers and Community Outreach, NOVA, at 215-343-6543, ext. 6604, or by email at JulieD@novabucks.org.
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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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Every Step Forward Begins With You
To everyone who donated to our Race to 50K Spring Appeal: thank you. Your generosity helped propel us through the final stretch of our fiscal year, and we are deeply grateful.
Like a marathon, our mission demands endurance, strength, and an unwavering team of supporters. In a time of shrinking public funding and rising needs, your support sends a powerful message: that survivors matter, that justice matters, and that building a safer community is worth the effort.
Thanks to you, NOVA continues to provide life-saving, trauma-informed services to thousands across Bucks County. Together, we're moving closer to a future where every survivor is seen, heard, and supported.
And if you missed this campaign, it’s not too late! You can give at any time to help sustain NOVA’s critical work. Every gift makes a difference.
We couldn’t do this without you.
| | NOVA held our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner where we honored the hard work and dedication of all of our amazing volunteers! | | NOVA staff gathered for our annual staff picnic! It's always great to spend time together, celebrate our hard work, and enjoy some sunshine. | | Representatives of NOVA attended the PA Rally for Survivors in Harrisburg. NOVA is one of 47 rape crisis centers in Pennsylvania that have gone without an increase in state funding for the past 5 years. We gathered to show our support for survivors & to demand PA lawmakers increase state funding for rape crisis centers in this year’s budget. | | NOVA proud to be one of sixteen organizations that participated in the collaborative art project "Forward Backward Together Forward (160 Years)" by local artist Kevin Aster Young. This piece was unveiled at the fourth annual Juneteenth celebration at the Mercer Museum! Click here to learn more about the art piece. | | Thank you to The Rainbow Room for having us at their Queer Youth Artistry & Open Mic Night! It was a wonderful evening of uplifting queer youth music and artistry. | | We had a great time at the Doylestown Pride Festival Block Party! Thank you to everyone who stopped by NOVA's booth. Your incredible energy made the beautiful summer day unforgettable | | NOVA prevention intern Madelyn led a powerful workshop at Camp Girls Empowered, guiding participants through an important conversation on healthy relationships and how to build them. | | NOVA had the opportunity to present to Doylestown Hospital nurses on human trafficking and how to identify potential indicators of human trafficking in emergency room and hospital settings. | | Our lucky SuperNova raffle winner got the VIP treatment with a $300 personal shopping spree at NOVA Thrift Shop! The personalized shopping experience was complete with a curated handbag boutique area and exclusive pre-opening access. | | NOVA is proud to be the recipient of a generous grant from Foundations Community Partnership! This grant will allow us to give a much-needed refresh to NOVA's Training Room, better equipping us to provide education to the community. | |
"Our counselor checked in on us often and was very accommodating with all the unexpected changes that our family had occurring."
- NOVA Client
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NOVA Receives Donations from Danaher Lynch Family Foundation & Students at Our of Lady Grace School | NOVA Receives Donations from Danaher Lynch Family Foundation & Students at Our of Lady Grace School - Doylestown, PA - Comfort items will provide support to NOVA clients during therapy | | | | | |
Poco's Restaurant and Comedy Cabaret
We send a heartfelt thank you to our friends at Poco’s Restaurant and Comedy Cabaret in Doylestown for hosting yet another laughter-filled evening in support of NOVA!
With over 60 people in attendance and more than $1,500 raised, the “Funny Fundraiser” was a joyful success, bringing our community together for a night of laughs, connection, and purpose. The night wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of Poco’s, who not only provided the perfect venue but also donated a portion of dining profits to support our mission.
We are so grateful to Poco’s and the Comedy Cabaret team for choosing to stand with survivors and help us build a safer Bucks County through your support. Thank you for turning a night out into a powerful act of giving.
| We are so grateful for our partnerships. Thank you for being Voices Against Violence in our community! |
| Whether you donate an item from NOVA's wish list, funds, or your time, know you are making a difference. | | | | |
