Fundraising Ongoing for Winter Break Trips

We are currently raising funds to support student pro bono trips to the Gulf Coast for the Winter Break.

If you are interested in lending support to these efforts, please read the following letter we sent to area law firms. There is information on the effort as well as instructions on how to donate to our efforts.

We believe strongly in these trips as a means of rebuilding the Gulf Coast and appreciate the assistance of all who contribute.

SHN Illinois Coalition.

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SHN Illinois Coalition: Illinois law students dedicated to rebuilding the Gulf Coast

Email us: shnillinois@gmail.com

https://www.studenthurricanenetwork.org/illinois

Nobember 20, 2006

SHN Illinois Coalition Pro Bono Service Trip January 2007

The legal profession acknowledged the necessity to provide legal services for all who require legal assistance during Pro Bono Week this past October. The week is an effort to educate the public and legal communities regarding the need for services and available resources. The state of Illinois and city of Chicago both acknowledged this distinctive educational effort with proclamations; the local legal profession offered several events including a career fair and a challenge to the profession to provide pro bono services. Local law students are also contributing to the pro bono challenge by reaching out to an area that desperately needs assistance.

Even though the media attention and the relief efforts have shifted focus away from the Gulf Coast, the efforts to rebuild this vital part of America continues and the need for assistance is great. As part of these efforts, The Student Hurricane Network (SHN) is an initiative started by law students and run entirely by law students. SHN formed at the 2005 Equal Justice Works Conference in the months immediately following the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, now more than 80 law schools are connected to the network. With this many students involved, the impact has been monumental. Recently, SHN’s efforts were recognized with the Lexis-Nexis® Martindale-Hubbell® Exemplary Service Award at the October 2006 Equal Justice Works conference.

SHN’s law students continue to make extensive progress in renewing these affected communities by bringing pro bono legal services, research support, volunteers and one-to-one advocacy for displaced residents. From the SHN national organization, Illinois-based law student institutional liaisons formed the first SHN regional group, SHN Illinois Coalition. Our main purpose is to present a united effort of Illinois law schools to achieve as large an impact as possible by sharing resources, experiences and ideas towards the revitalization efforts.

In an effort to continue building for success, SHN Illinois Coalition is sending students to the Gulf Coast during winter and spring breaks. The immediate project involves a trip to New Orleans in early January 2007 to provide pro bono advocacy support and community rebuilding service. We are also targeting Spring Break trips to the Gulf Coast throughout March 2007. We invite you to be a part of this volunteer effort by contributing to the SHN Illinois Coalition. With your support, the legal and Illinois communities enable a significant number of student volunteers to provide as much service as possible via SHN pro bono opportunities.

If you have any questions or if we can provide additional information, please call Kayleigh Van Poolen at 312.498.5943 or email us at shnillinois@gmail.com. Our efforts will be meaningful and have an impact that will reach beyond this coming year. We appreciate your contribution in creating that impact and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Gulf Coast.

In addition to this letter, we are providing information about the Student Hurricane Network and the Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF). The IBF is acting as our fiscal sponsor and we greatly appreciate their assistance in facilitating the tax-deductible donation process. At the end of this letter is a response form that you can use to provide support to SHN Illinois Coalition.

Sincerely,

Austin Kaplan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Joel Roberson,  Chicago-Kent College of Law
Kayleigh Van Poolen,DePaul University College of Law
Ryann Zalewski,DePaul University College of Law
Sarah Simonson, The John Marshall Law School
Susan Clark, Chicago-Kent College of Law

 

Student Hurricane Network: http://www.studenthurricanenetwork.org

The legal questions and problems facing the individuals and communities throughout the Gulf Coast region are monumental in scale, and will remain for months and years to come. In order to address this need, law students from across the country formed the Student Hurricane Network (SHN), a national association dedicated to providing assistance to communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

            Illinois Bar Foundation: http://www.illinoisbar.org/ibf/index.html

As the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association, the
Illinois Bar Foundation's mission is to serve the people of Illinois by
contributing to programs dedicated to improving the administration of
justice and sustaining and enhancing the ideals of the legal profession.
This year, the Foundation will distribute more than $300,000 in grants
to programs that enhance our system of justice, in scholarships to
encourage the worthiest of law students, and in subsistence payments to
lawyers or their survivors who have fallen on hard times due to age or
infirmity.

· Preserve documents of legal significance;

· Assist members of the Bar and/or their families in need of financial aid.

SHN Illinois Coalition Support Form

Thank you for your willingness to support the pro bono trips to the Gulf Coast.

All donations are tax deductible and you will receive an acknowledgement of your donation.

 _____ Silver: $250 to provide housing and food for one student.

_____ Gold: $500 to provide housing, food and transportation for one student.

             _____ Platinum: $1000 to provide housing, food and transportation for two

students.

_____ Other contribution: _______________________ (indicate amount here)

Indicate if you would like your donation to remain anonymous.

Please use this form and enclosed envelope for your donation.

Checks should be made out to the Illinois Bar Foundation

Please add to the memo field: Student Hurricane Network

Checks should be mailed to:

Illinois Bar Foundation – Student Hurricane Network

20 South Clark Street, Suite 910

Chicago, IL 60603

Comments

[Sulumits Retsambew]

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