Prospect, KY (April 20, 2001) - Victims Assistance of America, Inc (VAA)
-- After working diligently with the IRS for the past year and a half VAA is happy to announce the achieved designation of 501-c-3. With this in place we can now move forward with additional set-up work needed before the front doors of the organization may be opened for victims services. After dealing with a 10 year long problem herself, president Martha Steimel is very determined (now that she has the needed 501-c-3) to move forward with her plans for a national non-profit to aggressively help victims of identity theft, malicious identity theft, and also terroristic identity assumption.
Ms Steimel attended the national seminars of the National Organization of Victims Assistance (NOVA) seven years ago in her planning stages of the VAA organization. She was fortunate to meet there several attorney generals who put together a meeting and gave her input for how to set up and what to expect.
At the time, all had seen a problem in the court room. No one had yet heard the name (identity theft). Plans continued anyway. It was already apparent that an organization of this type was direly needed to be put in place. They suggested to Ms Steimel that she was one of the top three in the nation with information on this crime (as a ten year victim herself she probably had seen more than anyone on the subject).
They suggested that the organization be given a national name. They suggested that the first division be set up in the state of Kentucky, the home of Ms Steimel. In speaking with her they found out very quickly that she had a public speaking background and would not shy away from speaking with groups of people. It was suggested then that she should consider herself a spokesperson for the mission. Having a strong background in entrepreneurial business start-ups, it was suggested that as the organization gets its footing that she should travel and offer to help set up other divisions in other states as each entity was prepared to do so. They warned her that as news came out with exactly what she intended to do to expect strong public support and a quick succession of joining states. The mission would include the desire to have consistent help for victims nationally, as quickly as possible.
We are delighted to announce at this time that we now have our 501-c-3 designation in place! This is the first step to a big cause and a major national program.
