Greetings!
If you've been receiving this e-newsletter on a regular basis, you've read amazing stories of strength in times of struggle, hope in times of helplessness, and heroism in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds.
The heroes in some of these stories are our clients -- the poor among us who have been promised "justice for all" but know that it's hard to come by if you don't have money. And yet they've risen above their circumstances with grace and determination.
The other heroes we highlight are our volunteers -- the attorneys on the front lines who listen to heartbreaking stories day after day and share their expertise and compassion with those in need. Or the caring souls who pray over the phone lines, bake cookies to bring a bit of comfort to the waiting room, or provide financial or conflict coaching for those who need to learn to cope with the situations they face.
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Attend the Raising the Bar Banquet and support our "Ordinary Heroes"
 On Thursday, 11/10, Dr. Erwin Luzter will deliver the keynote address at our annual banquet. In his book When a Nation Forgets God, Dr. Lutzer calls for an army of ordinary heroes who "will stand for truth courageously, consistently, and with humility and grace ... who know what they believe, why they believe it, and how to live out their convictions in diverse situations."
It is an apt description of those on the front lines in the battle for equal justice, of the men and women who don't just get to the heart of the problem, but try and reach out to the heart of the person in trouble.
This annual event is hugely important to our Gospel Justice Ministry. It is our biggest fundraiser of the year. The banquet supports the work of "ordinary heroes" that includes more than 600 volunteers at 4 different locations who had already served as many clients by July of this year as we saw in all of 2010. The need is great, the mission is clear, and we need your help now more than ever.
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Register NOW -- tickets are free.
Join the largest gathering of ordinary heroes ever held by
Administer Justice!
WHAT: Raising the Bar Fund-raising Banquet
WHEN: Thursday, 11/10. Doors open at 6pm. Dinner is at 6:45.
WHERE: Grand Ballroom of Drury Lane in Oak Brook Terrace
COST: Free. We will ask you to give at the end of the evening, but no minimum donation is required.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
BRING A FRIEND, TOO!
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Census Bureau releases newest poverty data: now 1 in 6 Americans are poor 
Our offices have seen as many clients by July of this year as we did in all of 2010 (more than 4,100). So while the blaring headlines over the past couple of days haven't really surprised us, they do point to the reason so many low-income individuals fail to get the help they need for their legal problems. When a single mom is now paying cash for medical care because her employer just eliminated their health insurance benefits, where is she supposed to find the money to fight for the child support her ex-husband refuses to pay? When an elderly couple on a fixed income loses thousands of dollars to a shady home improvement contractor, how can they afford to pay an attorney to get that money back? Legal advocacy isn't a luxury, it's a right -- but a right that can only be enforced when there are legal aid offices and attorneys who can help those who can't afford to pay them. Administer Justice is intentional in its mission to give help to the helpless, hope to the hopeless, and to empower the powerless. Your support will make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Click here to make an on-line donation.
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A father's fight to raise his daughter
From the moment she was born, Hector has been his daughter's hero. Little Ruby's mother was a drug addict, with no permanent address and no interest in parenting her child. Hector was more than willing to raise Ruby on his own, but there were legal complications that went well beyond his ability to address on his own. Attorney Kim Spagui spent up to 10 hours a week over the course of 4 months preparing and filing the documents needed to give Hector sole custody of his daughter. As a result, he was also given permanent residency status so he didn't have to fear deportation that would have left Ruby with no one to love her or care for her. With proof of custody and residency, Hector could now work lawfully, obtain a valid drivers license, and even place Ruby in quality day care. "I didn't know what to expect when I reached out to Administer Justice," Hector tells us. "Would they refuse to help me because of my past mistakes? But instead, they fought with me to protect my daughter. They are my heroes!" |
Did you hear the one about the used car salesman ... 
It sounds like the plot of a bad joke, but for our client Adam, it has been no laughing matter. He traded in his car for newer model at a used car lot, but the dealership "lost" the title. They told him to bring it back in, and they'd give him a different car. They also had him sign a few more papers (which took the interest rate up another 5 points). Then, they "lost" the title for that one, too. 3 cars later, Adam had no car he could register, an interest rate of almost 30%, and no response from the car company. Volunteer attorney Judy Berndt reached out to lawyers specializing in consumer fraud on Adam's behalf, and an "ordinary hero" has agreed to represent Adam pro bono. With all this support in his corner, we expect a successful outcome and restitution in the near future.
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