Our Core Values
The dedication and compassion that built this community are deeply valued and remain at the heart of our work.
As SNAP continues to grow and operate in an increasingly complex environment, our systems and procedures reflect responsibilities that organizations today must address in order to operate safely, legally and sustainably.
Privacy and Legal Responsibilities
Organizations that support survivors carry significant responsibility to protect personal and sensitive information. Over the past two decades, privacy and data protection laws have become much stricter across many jurisdictions.
Because SNAP operates in the United States, while also supporting survivors in multiple countries, we must ensure that our systems and practices protect confidential information and meet modern privacy and data security expectations.
These responsibilities affect how information is collected, stored, shared and transmitted electronically. Strengthening our systems helps safeguard survivor confidentiality and protects the organization from risks that did not exist when this impactful organization was first formed.
Cybersecurity Risks
The digital environment has changed dramatically in recent years. Nonprofits are increasingly targeted by email hacking, phishing scams, spam attacks, and unauthorized access to mailing lists.
Protecting SNAP’s communication systems is necessary to ensure that confidential information, including survivor-related communications, is not exposed or misused. Some changes to email lists, messaging practices and communication systems are intended to reduce these risks.
Organizational Sustainability
When SNAP was first formed, many survivors felt profoundly alone. Creating a network where survivors could find one another, share their experiences, and offer mutual support was a powerful and necessary step.
Today the communication landscape has changed dramatically. Survivors can connect with one another through many online spaces, social media platforms, and advocacy communities that did not exist when SNAP began.
While these changes have made connection easier, they have also accelerated the pace of communication and public discussion. Messages travel instantly, reactions can spread quickly, and misunderstandings can escalate faster than they once did.
For organizations like ours, this means that clearer communication practices and governance structures are increasingly important. Thoughtful systems help ensure that discussions remain respectful, that decisions are communicated clearly, and that SNAP continues to operate in a stable and constructive way.
These structures are intended to support the mission and strengthen the community that so many people have worked hard to build.
Respect for Volunteers and Staff
Board members, staff and volunteers carry significant responsibility for ensuring that SNAP operates safely. Most of these roles are voluntary, and the individuals serving in them are working to balance transparency, accountability and the protection of the SNAP community.
It is also important to recognize that many current board members first came to this organization seeking support themselves. Over time, they chose to give back by volunteering their time and energy to help others navigate similar experiences. Their leadership grows out of the same survivor-centred mission that has always defined SNAP.
