1) Call Rhode Island Speaker Joe Shekarchi’s Office at (401) 222-2447 and leave this message with staff:

Hello, my name is (          ) from (city). I’m calling in support of House Bill 8320 to put $2 million dollars in the state budget to provide life-saving emergency funding due to federal cuts to VOCA. Please include this funding in the state budget. We can’t leave victims across Rhode Island without support services.

2) And use this script to call/email them, or write your own!

Look up your State Rep and Senator by your location to find their contact info.

Hello Rep/Senator,

My name is (          ) from (city), Rhode Island. I care about victim services in my state and community [optional: share a personal story if you are safe and comfortable doing so].

Massive federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) cuts have left Rhode Island with a nearly $2 million dollar gap in victim services funding, risking an interruption of life-saving services impacting tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders. Cuts to victim services impact all of us.

I’m writing to ask for your support of House Resolution 8320 to use a small percentage of the state’s budget surplus to provide life-saving emergency funding after federal cuts to VOCA. Can I count on your support of Rhode Island’s victims of crime?

To learn more about VOCA if needed:

Read through our letter to the Rhode Island General Assembly to learn more about why VOCA funding is so critical to local direct service agencies.