Welcome to the 2026 July issue of Volunteer Voices, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) volunteers.
In this Issue:
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Hi, my name is Elisa Castillo, a recent addition to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Services team. I have been in the field of advocacy, case worker, and leadership for about 21 years, starting my career at ACTS in Prince William County in 2005 as a court advocate/coordinator. During my time in that position, I learned about protective orders, immigration cases, criminal cases, custody, child support, and CHINS (Child in Need of Services or Supervision) cases. The skills I learned then helped me to grow into my career.
My grant with ACTS ended in 2014, but it was actually a blessing since it gave me an opportunity to work for Fairfax County with the Women's Shelter, now known as Shelter House Inc. My work there helped me gain the skills to run a shelter, and it also helped me see what women, men, and children were dealing with once they left their abusive homes. It gave me more motivation to learn and help victims find a safe place while they figure out the next step.
I moved to other opportunities with the Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney's Office and the Women's Center. In 2021, I returned to ACTS and became the director of Domestic Violence Services. As a director, leadership was a big part of running the program; it gave me the skills to oversee all programs and support the team that is always at the front lines with each client. Even though I enjoyed leadership, I missed working with direct services. After four years, I decided it was time to go back to advocacy services. Fairfax opened up that door for me, for which I'm so grateful.
Lastly, a few fun facts about me: My favorite food is chicken, I love to dance, I love to travel, I love to cook, family is everything to me. Most importantly, I love to help others and be the voice of those who can't speak due to fear. My wish is that one day, people will live free of violence.
Elisa Castillo
Advocate
3 Reasons Self-Care Is So Hard
Your definition of self-care is an act of pampering yourself. You might even have self-care on your to-do list. But if you’re like most of us, it is far down that list, behind family, friends and work. In fact, consistently practicing self-care often feels really hard. Learn three reasons why.
July is Disability Pride Month, an opportunity to celebrate differences and uplift accessibility. This month, listen to Who Belongs, where Imani Barbarin discuss her experience of being a disabled black woman, the invisibility of disability throughout history, and how we can create a sense of belonging for all in our community.
"If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never tried to sleep with a mosquito around you.” –Betty Reese
Domestic and Sexual Violence Services’ podcast, Unscripted: Conversations about Sexual and Domestic Violence, is real talk on tough topics! Stay in the know with these biweekly discussions. If you have ideas for topics you’d like to hear addressed on Unscripted, email them to DSVS’ communications specialist Kendra Lee.
Faith Communities in Action, a network of faith communities, houses of worship, community-based organizations, and Fairfax County Government agencies working together to strengthen human service support across the county, was founded in 1997 under then-Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova. Recently, Volunteer Voices sat down with Lyndzey Elliott, the network’s interfaith coordinator, about the work FCIA does and how their mission dovetails nicely with Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. This is an excerpt of that conversation.
“A day as a DSVS crisis line specialist is extremely unpredictable and very different day by day,” says Hilda Andrade, who joined the division in October 2025. “Most of my day is spent answering [Domestic and Sexual Violence 24-Hour] Hotline calls from survivors, family members, community partners, and individuals seeking crisis intervention, emotional support, safety planning, shelter resources, community referrals, or just someone to talk to during a difficult moment. I also respond to Fairfax County Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) calls from law enforcement involving high-risk domestic violence situations where I help connect survivors to services and safe options in real time.
“Between calls, I complete call-log reviews and documentation and follow up on after-hour activity to ensure everything is properly documented and any urgent issues are addressed. I also spend time keeping our resource list and Hotline binder up to date, ensuring staff and volunteers have the information, tools, and resources needed when they are providing support. At times I am also on call, so may respond to urgent situations outside of regular work hours. Some days are non-stop while others allow more time to work on projects and administrative tasks. The work can be emotionally intense, but it is meaningful to know I am able to support people during some of the hardest moments in their lives.
