www.loubar.org 12 Louisville Bar Briefs CASA OF THE RIVER REGION Advocacy Academy: $10,000 CASA provides advocacy services to children with active cases in Family Court. To increase the number of volunteer advocates, CASA must continually train and provide education. The LBF grant will support CASA’s Advocacy Academy and increase its number of trainings to boost volunteers’ advocacy skillset and the understanding of interrelated child welfare, justice and medical systems. CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF LOUISVILLE Fee Waiver Program: $15,000 Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Servic- es helps low-income refugees and immigrants living in Kentucky obtain legal assistance. The LBF grant will allow refugees and immigrants solve immigration and/or employment status issues so as to achieve or maintain financial stability and economic independence. CHILDREN’S LAW CENTER Holistic Education Law Program: $3,333 Children’s Law Center (CLC) provides advocacy services on behalf of students in the educational setting. CLC staff and legal volunteers identify sources of education- related problems, work with the children and guardians and engage school officials to address students’ needs and monitor out- comes. LBF funds will support advocacy and problem-solving efforts from CLC to ensure that special-needs children get appropriate educational services, allowing them to make academic progress toward graduation and meaningful employment. FAIRNESS EDUCATION FUND Name Change Clinics: $3,333 The Fairness Education Fund initiates and develops projects that broaden community awareness and understanding of discrimina- tion based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. With the assistance of volunteer attorneys who donate their time and services, the organization offers a Name Change Clinic for individuals to file the formal paperwork necessary for a court to approve a change in a person’s legal name. The LBF grant will provide funds to the organization to assist applicants who lack the financial ability to pay the filing fee associated with the court process. THE HEALING PLACE Peer Mentor Program: $3,333 Many of the clients who come to The Healing Place for addiction recovery are involved in Jefferson County’s court system. The Peer Mentor Program at The Healing Place enlists men and women who have completed the program to serve as role models and men- tors for those newer participants. These peer mentors provide one-on-one counseling and support. In particular, peer mentors help participants comply with court dates, court orders and other issues related to the justice system. LBF funds will support the Peer Mentor Program as it increases the chances of a participant’s successful recovery and the efficient resolution of court issues. KENTUCKY EQUAL JUSTICE CENTER Legal Clinics for Tenants’ Rights: $10,000 As a poverty law research and advocacy center, Kentucky Equal Justice Center (KEJC) works with the regional legal aid programs and community partners to promote equal access to justice for all Kentuckians. Low- income residents often face housing instability because they lack information on legal protec- tions and how to access legal services. KEJC will collaborate with Louisville community partners in offering monthly clinics educat- ing tenants on issues related to maintenance of rental premises, illegal fees, unlawful rent increases, retaliation and other issues threatening tenants’ housing stability. The LBF grant will support monthly clinics and related outreach materials. KENTUCKY REFUGEE MINISTRIES Immigration Legal Services: $15,000 Kentucky Refugee Ministries provides legal services to immigrants who have resettled in the Louisville area. Many of these im- migrants need to file applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for permanent residence status or to petition for asylum. The LBF grant will provide partial fee subsidies for immigrants who cannot afford to pay the entire cost of preparing and filing these documents. KENTUCKY YMCA YOUTH ASSOCIATION Civic and Leadership Development: $5,000 Kentucky YMCA Youth Association’s con- ferences bridge classroom civics education with the personal understanding of our state’s branches of government. These experiential learning programs allow teens to meet their peers from throughout the state as they learn about the legislative process and understand the judicial and executive branches. The LBF grant will provide funds to make attendance and participation at these statewide confer- ences available to public school students in low-income communities which otherwise would not have access. COMMUNITY SERVICE LBF 2024 Grant Recipients The Louisville Bar Foundation recently awarded approximately $125,000 in grants for fif- teen law-related programs in the Louisville area. These grants were approved by the Board of Directors at its board meeting in June. Additional grants may be awarded in December. Our profession is helping in these times through our collective gifts to the Foundation. Grants are made possible by the generosity of Louisville area lawyers and law firms. Since its founding in 1982, the Foundation has distributed more than $3.3 million in grant funds. For more information on the LBF’s grants process or to make a charitable contribu- tion in support of the LBF’s grantmaking activities, contact Jeff Been at (502) 292-6734 or [email protected]. THE LOUISVILLE BAR FOUNDATION William F. McMurry & Associates, PLLC Trust us to handle your clients’ Legal Malpractice Claims William F. McMurry Board Certified as a Legal Malpractice Specialist by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys (ABPLA.ORG) The ABPLA is accredited by the ABA to certify specialist in the field of Legal Malpractice - SCR 3.130 (7.40) [email protected] (502) 326-9000 William F. McMurry will personally handle each case while some services may be provided by others. LA CASITA CENTER Legal Outreach and Clinic Services: $10,000 In addition to the numerous social, nutritional and cultural programs La Casita Center pro- vides in the Latino immigrant community, it specifically conducts outreach to Latina women and families in need of legal services. Through its targeted outreach and legal clin- ics, participants receive help on understand- ing the legal system, immigration issues, family law matters and other legal problems. LBF funds will support the Center’s targeted outreach to the Latino community and the development of a pro bono attorney panel to assist program participants in understanding legal problems and how to resolve them. LEGAL AID SOCIETY Food Justice Project: $20,000 Legal Aid Society has a long tradition of serving the civil legal needs of low-income individuals and families in Louisville Metro. The Food Justice Project seeks to increase access to food benefits by removing the legal and administrative barriers to accessing these benefits. The FJP boosts the economic means of low-income citizens by ensuring equal and full access to SNAP benefits. The LBF grant will support outreach efforts to educate eligible participants on their right to these benefits and to assist participants in appealing any denials. NEW AMERICANS INITIATIVE Universal Representation Clinic: $5,000 New Americans Initiative is an organization focused on assisting eligible immigrants and refugees become naturalized citizens. Through a network of volunteer attorneys and law students, the organization offers legal clinics to identify pathways and processes by which eligible immigrants and refugees may seek family reunification, work status authoriza- tions and other benefits that will help them achieve stability as a naturalized citizen. The LBF grant will underwrite clinics in the Louisville region. LOUISVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION Summer Law Institute: $5,000 The Summer Law Institute is a partnership of the LBA, the University of Louisville (continued on next page)
