enormous strain on the very service organizations that depend so heavily on the Foundation’s assistance.
So, needless to say, WE NEED YOUR HELP. For its 2020 fundraising campaign, the Foundation has set an ambitious College-wide goal of $330,000. Our Fellows are extremely generous, and I am cautiously optimistic we can meet or exceed that goal. And as of this writing, giving was approximately on pace with our progress to-date in 2019. But we still have a steep hill to climb.
There no doubt are tremendous competing demands, especially this year, for your charitable dollars, from any number of worthy causes. But please consider renewing or even increasing your gift to the Foundation in this year of special need. Even better, if you have not given in the past, please give serious thought to this being the year that you begin to include the Foundation in your plans. The time is now!
Happy Holidays to all, stay safe, and THANK YOU.
7
Pro Bono Update
Hon. Janet E. Bostwick, U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee
At this time of year, we reflect on the many things for which we are thankful. So, on behalf of the Pro Bono Committee, let me extend our gratitude and thanks to the College, the Foundation, and the Fellows for their
generosity. Because of your generosity, the Pro Bono Committee was again able to select grants to be awarded to worthy organizations, providing funds for bankruptcy pro bono and public services.
The 34 organizations that received grants are located across the country, in cities large and small, providing much needed services. All the programs receiving this year’s $354,900 in grant funds are highlighted on another page in this newsletter and on the Foundation’s website. But, let me share the types of programs this year’s funds support, highlighting a few of our grantees. The grants funds will be used for:
• Pro bono clinics and volunteer attorney trainings, to recruit additional volunteers, or expand the reach of volunteer attorneys, such as the programs operated by the D. C. Bar Pro Bono Center in Washington, D.C. and Pro Bono Indiana in Evansville, Indiana.
• Self help desks and pro se clinics to assist those individuals who must navigate the process on their own, such as the programs operated by Legal Aid Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, and Public Counsel in Los Angeles, California.
• Developing training or informational videos to reach pro bono attorneys and or potential clients, such as the funding requested by Legal Services of Vermont, in Burlington, Vermont.
• Upgrading software and hardware for remote connections to clients, for example, as requested by Legal Services of North Dakota, in Bismarck, North Dakota, whose clients are across the state, often in small rural towns or remote rural areas.
• Community education and outreach, to provide individuals with needed information on debt and bankruptcy relief, for example, as requested by the Pro Bono Project in New Orleans, Louisiana.