FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 12, 2024
CONTACT
Eric W. Hughes
Bershad Director of Communications
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
(973) 233-5724
ehughes@vljnj.org
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation Awards $12,500 Grant to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice to Support Its Debt Relief Legal Program
Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), a nonprofit civil legal services organization based in Newark, New Jersey, is thrilled to announce the receipt of a $12,500 grant from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation (ACBF) to further support VLJ's Debt Relief Legal Program (DRLP). Originally serving Essex County and Newark, the DRLP expanded statewide in response to the unmet civil legal needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This expansion, aided by the ACBF grant, includes virtual legal help across New Jersey on bankruptcy, ensuring geography is not a barrier to justice.
VLJ’s DRLP has the ability to move families living in a state of financial crisis toward financial freedom. Many individuals who come to VLJ are overwhelmed by debt, are enduring harassment from debt collectors, and sometimes are being sued for a debt that is not even theirs. Through a twice-monthly virtual legal clinic, self-represented litigants receive help with lawsuits in Special Civil Part, in addition to being screened, when appropriate, for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The DRLP also addresses consumer debt issues such as unpaid medical debt, credit card debt, and back rent. In addition to providing critical legal help for community members, the DRLP promotes pro bono legal work by training and mentoring volunteers to assist VLJ’s clients, be it screening for bankruptcy, negotiating with creditors, and in certain cases, providing extended representation in litigation. In short, the DRLP works to ensure poverty is transitory and defines no one.
The generous support from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation has already made a substantial impact on VLJ’s ability to provide free civil legal services to people faced with debt-related legal challenges: in 2023, 117 individuals received assistance on 119 unique legal matters. The funding from the ACBF is not only an investment in VLJ, it is an investment in justice and communities across New Jersey.
Of the ACBF grant, Cathy Keenan, Executive Director of VLJ, said, “The support and partnership of the American College of Bankruptcy is invaluable and makes a profound impact on the clients we serve, as well as the volunteer attorneys donating their time and talent. With the already high cost of living in New Jersey exacerbated by inflation, many of our neighbors are struggling with debt and—more than one realizes—unscrupulous debt collection practices by their creditors. Quality, free civil legal services are more essential than ever, and we are incredibly grateful to the American College of Bankruptcy and the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation for their continued support of VLJ’s Debt Relief Legal Program and continued confidence in VLJ to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty.”
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About the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation (ACBF)
The American College of Bankruptcy Foundation was established to promote the ends of justice through educational and charitable activities. Its missions, focused in the areas of bankruptcy and insolvency, are: sponsorship and encouragement of legal research, publications and forums; The American College of Bankruptcy Foundation’s mission is to support and fund activities and programs in the areas of bankruptcy and insolvency consistent with the goals of the American College of Bankruptcy, including fostering the institution and maintenance of legal aid services for the indigent; the establishment of scholarships and grant awards; the sponsorship and encouragement of legal research, publications and forums; and the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization and across the insolvency profession; the establishment of scholarships; providing for the collection and maintenance of data and documents for scholarly research; and fostering the institution and maintenance of legal aid facilities for the indigent. The Foundation provides support to pro bono legal service programs providing assistance to an increasingly diverse and evolving number of communities across the entire United States. To learn more, please visit www.americancollegeofbankruptcy.com/foundation.
About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)
VLJ is an award-winning, comprehensive nonprofit legal services program based in Newark, NJ, with a statewide reach. VLJ's mission is to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. VLJ ensures equitable access to the civil legal system through partnerships with corporations and hundreds of volunteer attorneys and legal staff. In 2022, VLJ’s work impacted over 4,500 people—including 1,712 children—and VLJ’s volunteer attorneys provided $2.4 million in free legal services.