[caption id="attachment_5039" align="alignright" width="300" caption="IBF Board Member Caesar Tabet of Chicago presents a $5,000 grant check to Brendan Short of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago."][/caption] The Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a $5,000 grant to Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago, one of 32 grants awarded in 2009 totaling $304,995. The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law champions economic opportunity through fair laws and policies so that people can move out of poverty permanently. Their attorneys and advocates engage in a wide range of activities, including policy development, impact litigation, community organizing, education, information sharing, and administrative, legislative and media advocacy. While the organization is national is scope, many of the programs it operates focus exclusively on Illinois and it translates those experiences to the national level. This grant specifically supports its Safe Homes Initiative. According to the US Department of Justice, women living in rental housing experience intimate partner violence at three times the rate of women who own their homes. Illinois' Safe Homes Act permits a victim of domestic violence who lives in rental housing to break her lease early or request an emergency lock change if she believes there is an imminent threat of domestic violence against herself or her family.

[caption id="attachment_4666" align="alignright" width="300" caption="IBF Grants Committee Member Sharon Eiseman of Chicago presents a $10,000 grant to Sandy Blake of Life Span. "][/caption] The Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a $10,000 grant to Life Span's Center for Legal Services in Des Plaines, one of 32 grants awarded this year totaling $304,965. Life Span provides legal services to victims of domestic violence in Chicago and the north and northwest suburbs. The $10,000 grant was made to support the salary of an attorney in the Des Plaines office, providing legal services to victims of domestic violence in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago. The attorney provides representation to clients in both the Rolling Meadows (District 3) and Skokie (District 2) Courthouses. The Des Plaines office currently turns away 40 percent of the victims of domestic violence who reach out for services, because, although they fit in the guidelines, they do not have enough attorneys to take the cases. ISBA member Sandy Blake is the attorney in the Des Plaines office.

[caption id="attachment_3754" align="alignright" width="300" caption="IBF Board member and ISBA 1st Vice President Mark Hassakis of Mt. Vernon presents a $2,500 check to Mariah Hayes, Executive Director of CASA of Franklin County. "][/caption] The Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a $2,500 grant to CASA of Franklin County, one of 32 grants awarded this year totaling $304,995. CASA of Franklin County recruits, trains and supports volunteers to speak up for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Franklin County Juvenile Dependency Court. According to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, in 2006, Franklin County was 10th in the state with the highest number of child abuse and neglect reports based on population. As the charitable affiliate of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Foundation’s mission is to ensure meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those with limited means, and to assist lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity. This past year, through the support of ISBA members, IBF distributed more than $425,000 to support these efforts.

[caption id="attachment_2691" align="alignright" width="300" caption="IBF Board members Russell Hartigan (left) of Chicago and George Mahoney (right) of Joliet present a $15,000 grant to Meg Benson, CVLS Executive Director."][/caption] The Illinois Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a $15,000 grant to Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS), one of 32 grants awarded this year totaling $304,995. Founded in 1964, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation (CVLS) is one of the oldest and largest pro bono programs in the country. Last year, nearly 2,000 volunteers provided legal assistance to over 17,000 low-income people. The 2004 Illinois Legal Needs Study found that CVLS is the largest pro bono program in the state, handling nearly 45% of all pro bono cases. One quarter of all cases statewide handled by a legal services program are handled by a CLVS volunteer or staff attorney. The IBF grant specifically supports the Chancery Court Access to Justice Program, a cooperative venture between CVLS and Cook County's Chancery Court. Chancery Court judges appoint CVLS to represent pro se low-income parties in mortgage foreclosures and partitions, actions to quiet title, subsidized housing evictions and appeals of government administrative decisions.