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•Helping
Tenants During Foreclosure HELPING TENANTS DURING FORECLOSURE The Melville Charitable Trust has renewed its $100,000 grant to Connecticut Legal Services, the New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Greater Hartford Legal Aid, and the Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut. In the next year of the grant, the funds will support continued efforts on behalf of low-income tenants impacted by foreclosure. With this support, the legal aid programs will continue • to address
the abuses still occurring to tenants during foreclosure CLS will continue to help tenants enforce the rights recently enacted legislation grants them and defend against evictions when the buildings in which they live have been foreclosed. The entities that foreclose on such properties sometimes fail to comply with their obligations under recently enacted federal laws that protect tenants. Families evicted because of foreclosure face a difficult search for affordable housing in a very tight and expensive market. Under the Protection for Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA), eligible tenants may live out their leases or have at least 90 days before eviction processes can start. Foreclosing entities sometimes fail to send the appropriate notices or comply with their obligations under the law, and court personnel cannot advocate on behalf of tenants. Therefore, eligible PTFA tenants need legal assistance to enforce their rights in court. Through this funding, CLS gives priority to assisting families during evictions and ensuring that they can either remain in their apartments under current leases or receive an adequate amount of time, and in some cases a financial settlement from the foreclosing entity, to relocate to other appropriate housing. “Ensuring that tenants stay in foreclosed buildings means that
these families no longer face the risk of homelessness in a very tight
rental market,” says Debi Witkin, CLS deputy director. “Mortgage
holders also benefit because tenant occupancy prevents both vandalism
to the buildings and its corresponding negative impact on neighborhoods.” Connecticut Legal Services will continue its Stop the School to Prison Pipeline project (STOPP), thanks to the Tow Foundation’s generous renewal of its $50,000 grant for the Waterbury portion of the project and the Derx Foundation’s generous renewal of $25,000 for services to Danbury residents. STOPP helps prevent students who have disabilities from being suspended or expelled from school and referred to juvenile court because of their disability-based behaviors. Students (or their parents) who find themselves in such situations can ask their public defenders for a referral to legal services. “We are very proud of this work and the impact that it has had on children in crisis. We thank both the Tow Foundation and the Derx Foundation for making it possible,” says CLS attorney Nieka Thompson. One child the STOPP project helped was Robby, an eighth grader whose history of school failure dated back to kindergarten. In 2007, he began experiencing depression and exhibiting aggressive behaviors. Robby was suspended frequently for being defiant. Connecticut state law requires that school districts refer any students whose behavior, attendance, or performance is unacceptable to a PPT meeting to consider eligibility for special education. However, that referral was never made. After Robby was arrested at school, he was referred to the STOPP program at the request of his public defender. A STOPP attorney met with Robby’s family, requested records, and agreed to represent the family at a referral PPT. At the meeting, the school agreed to conduct evaluations and assign Robby to a special education class pending the evaluations. They confirmed that he suffers from both an attention disorder and a learning disorder, and he was found eligible for special education. An education program and a behavior intervention plan were developed and implemented on Robby’s behalf. He is now successful in school and looking forward to a bright future. Thanks to the generous grants
from the Derx and Tow Foundations, CLS will be able to carry on its
efforts to help children with disabilities
receive the services they need—and are entitled to—from
their school districts. As the name of this project suggests, successful
school interventions can have enormous long-term payoffs. FRESH FACES CAMPAIGN ENDS IN SUCCESS The Stratton Faxon, Connecticut’s Firm for Trial Law, Fresh Faces Campaign, an innovative fund-raising effort in support of legal services, came to a very successful end in March 2010, raising $500,000 in new and matched donations for legal services across the state. During the Fresh Faces Campaign, Stratton Faxon matched contributions from new donors and increased donations dollar for dollar, up to $1,000, and challenged Connecticut Legal Services, the New Haven Legal Assistance Association, and Greater Hartford Legal Aid to find ways of attracting new donors to their respective organizations and increasing donations from their ongoing supporters. Because of Stratton Faxon’s generosity, CLS raised $212,000, which funds two attorney positions and provides legal services to more than 200 low-income individuals and families. “Stratton Faxon has shown great commitment to legal services and the low-income community we serve,” says Steve Eppler-Epstein, CLS executive director. “These matching funds have boosted our fund-raising and our work at a time of great fiscal challenge.” Stratton Faxon made a significant marketing investment, placing advertisements in the Connecticut Law Tribune and Connecticut Lawyer magazine, which tracked the consistent progress of the matching campaign and its success. Michael A. Stratton, partner at Stratton Faxon, says, "The goal of this statewide fund-raising effort initiated by our firm was to encourage those in the legal community who have never donated to legal aid—or have not donated in a while—to support legal services. Stratton Faxon matched all new and increased pledges, resulting in a total of $500,000 in new money. Hopefully, a pattern of continual giving for legal services has been developed and the success of this campaign will continue.” CLS thanks everyone who made a new or increased donation and contributed
to the success of this campaign. Your donation makes a significant
difference to families in desperate need of legal assistance. VOLUNTEERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR CLS If you ask Gail Tomberg, the Stamford pro bono coordinator for Connecticut Legal Services and its longest-serving volunteer, why she has given so much of her time to CLS over the past 20 years, she’ll answer, “I love my work.” She would add, “It is important that as many low-income people in Stamford as possible get the help they need. By working with private attorneys in the community who take pro bono cases to represent clients that CLS otherwise might not be able to help, I feel that I am making a significant contribution.” Attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, law students, and other community volunteers take on a variety of roles at CLS. They handle cases, help with administrative tasks, and provide translating and interpreting services. “Volunteers are essential in helping CLS provide necessary and urgently needed legal services, especially as the number of people needing legal assistance continues to rise,” says Deborah Witkin, CLS deputy director. “They help clients that we may not otherwise be able to help because of our limited resources,” continues Witkin. “Some of our volunteers have been donating their time to CLS for more than ten years and carry the same workloads as full-time staff members—their dedication is remarkable.” Many CLS volunteers help
with the Stamford Day Laborer Wage Clinic, which relies very heavily
on volunteers to keep it running consistently
each month. “The individuals who volunteer are people
from diverse backgrounds—members of the community, college students,
law students, legal assistants, paralegals, and attorneys—who
help Stamford day laborers recover unpaid wages that they have been
denied by their employers because of their immigration status,” explains
Nadine Nevins, the clinic’s project director. “We are so
fortunate to have them donate their time and energy to help this project.
Without volunteers, the Stamford Day Laborer Wage Clinic would not
be as successful as it is.” CLS KICKS OFF 2010 CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE Connecticut Legal Services kicked off its 2010 fund-raising campaign in April with the goal of raising $325,000. “We are lucky to have a committed team of volunteers who will help us reach our goal. An initial fund-raising letter was mailed to potential donors, and we expect a strong a response to this year’s request for donations,” says Astrid Lebron, the CLS director of development. “Our Campaign for Justice provides CLS with urgently needed funds to serve the growing population of low-income clients in need,” adds Thomas Goldberg, CLS Board chair. “In addition, the strength of our campaign provides an indication to funders of the depth of our community support and helps CLS secure other funding, which is very important.” The 2009 fund-raising campaign was very successful. The generosity of private organizations and individuals resulted in 595 donations totaling more than $336,000. This funding helps CLS provide much-needed civil legal assistance to members of the low-income community. Please continue to support our work on behalf of low-income individuals and families who face harsh legal problems. 2010 Campaign for Justice Volunteers Jay F. Malcynsky Aaron S. Bayer Ross Garber REGIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRS Timothy Bates John L. Boccalatte Dennis G. Ciccarillo Eva M. DeFranco Michael Kaelin Susan F. Jordan Mark D. Leighton John J. McGrath Jr. Jonathan Orleans Shelley Sadin Isabella Squicciarini Thomas A. Weaver Special thanks
to the 2009–2010
CLS Board of Directors Fund-Raising Committee: LAW FIRM ASSOCIATES AND SOLO PRACTITIONERS SUPPORT CLS On February 9, 2010, McCarter & English and the Young Lawyers Section of the Connecticut Bar Association co-sponsored a reception honoring Connecticut Legal Services and its Stamford Day Laborer Wage Clinic. “CLS provides a broad range of services, and attorneys in our community aren’t always aware of all that CLS does,” says Amy Haberman, chair of the CLS Board of Directors Fund-raising Committee, partner at McCarter & English, and CLS volunteer. “We are so pleased to be able to use this event as an opportunity to share information and describe the importance of CLS’ work, especially the Stamford Day Laborer Wage Clinic.” A committee of volunteer associates—Rosemary Barry, Day Pitney; Jody Erdfarb, Wiggin & Dana; and Amanda Lovelace, Robinson & Cole—joined Haberman in planning and executing the event. The short program at the Stamford event gave law firm associates and solo practitioners in Stamford and Greenwich the opportunity to learn more about the services that CLS provides for low-income people and the many volunteer opportunities available to them at the DLWC. Tom Goldberg, chair of the CLS Board of Directors and a partner at Day Pitney, emceed the program. Deborah Witkin, CLS deputy director, spoke about CLS’ mission and work, and Nadine Nevins, CLS managing attorney and one of the co-founders and organizers of the DWLC, described how the DWLC came to be and the many successes that it has enjoyed during its three-year existence. Nevins also introduced Working for Justice, a short video that documents how the DWLC has changed the lives of the clients it serves. Peter Goselin, an attorney at Livingston, Adler, Pulda, Mieklejohn and Kelly, wrapped up the program with his description of the important work he has been able to do at the DWLC and the ways in which that has improved the lives of DWLC clients. ”We are grateful
to McCarter & English and the CBA’s
Young Lawyers Section for helping us share the CLS mission and the
Day Laborer Clinic with law firm associates in Stamford,” says
Steve Eppler-Epstein, CLS executive director. “We hope that this
is one of many opportunities we have to work with them to raise awareness
about CLS and our programs.” CLS thanks McCarter and English,
the CBA’s Young Lawyer Section, and the planning committee who
made this night a success. If you are interested in learning more about
or volunteering at the Stamford Day Laborer Clinic, please contact
Attorney Nadine Nevins at NNevins at ConnLegalServices.org. |
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