achievement in 2019 particularly impressive is that the calendar was about as challenging as imaginable: Thanksgiving fell on the latest day in the year possible, and both of the year-end holidays fell on Wednesdays, meaning that many of our Fellows simply became unavailable for the last two weeks of the year. BRAVO!
Now for 2020. In his column, our Chair Mark Bloom reports the wonderful news that cancellation of the Spring meeting did not result in any material financial loss to the College. Kudos to Shari Bedker and her wonderful staff for achieving a result we frankly did not expect.
As Mark also reported, large number of Fellows registered for the Spring meeting generously donated their registration fees to the College. This will, of course, result in a direct, gross financial contribution to the Foundation.
As a result, our 2020 fundraising is off to a surprisingly strong start. But this will be the Foundation’s most challenging year in memory, on both the fundraising and grant-making sides of the house. There also will be many, if not an overwhelming number of, demands for your charitable dollars from other worthy causes. So please keep the Foundation in your year-end plans. We will again be Dialing for Dollars – and you will be a dialee!
Stay safe and healthy.
7
Pro Bono Update
Hon. Janet E. Bostwick, U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Co-Chair, Pro Bono Committee
The current times have brought many personal and professional changes for each of us. With businesses closed across the country, staggering unemployment numbers, and uncertainty on the return to normal, like many of you, I expect that
the future will see increased work in the bankruptcy field. But, as the Pro Bono Committee begins our 2020 grant cycle, I am also mindful of the challenges and demands our grantees will face. For our grantees who deal with individuals and families particularly vulnerable to an economic downturn, the continued support of the Fellows, the Foundation, and the College will be of critical importance this year.
With spring’s arrival, the Pro Bono Committee begins its work for the Foundation. Through the grants recommended by the Committee, the Foundation fulfills its mission to support organizations that provide bankruptcy-related legal representation, training or education for low income individuals and families. Grant applications are posted on the Foundation’s website and are due June 1, 2020. Shortly after the due date, Committee members will begin the careful review of the applications. As always, our goal is to support programs that maximize the use of funds to expand pro bono services and support for low income self-represented debtors. Grantees run programs that take many different forms such as pro bono clinics, help desks in bankruptcy courts to assist self-represented debtors, community education programs on debt and bankruptcy, and trainings to expand pro bono volunteers. This fall, after extensive review, the Committee will propose an allocation of budgeted grant funds to the