Spring 2010
(view as PDF)
INSIDE
All lawyers can help children thrive
by Gabrielle Davis
At the age of 17, Kamesha Grant made the hardest decision a former foster child could make: to re-enter the foster care system. What could have been a tragedy is turning into a triumph because of help from a Children's Legal Services advocate.
"[My advocate] has done nothing but dedicate herself and her time to me," Kamesha said.
"She kept me positive. She kept me focused."
Meet Xiomara Medrano
www.floridbarfoundation.org/xiomara
She's one of nearly 3,000 reasons to support the Lawyers' Challenge for
Children on your 2010 Florida Bar Fee Statement or at www.floridabarfoundation.org
CHILDREN'S LEGAL SERVICES BY THE NUMBERS
2,969: The number of cases closed through Foundation-funded Children's
Legal Services projects statewide in 2009.
$45: All it takes for you to make a difference with...
1: check mark on your Florida Bar Fee Statement.
Foundation Fact
State Sen. Mike Fasano presented Florida Legal Services with a Senate resolution honoring the statewide legal
aid organization March 24 during Legal Aid Day at the Capitol. The resolution credited FLS, established in 1973, with
connecting legal aid offices throughout the state and working with the Legislature to help ensure the legal rights of
Florida's poor.
Together with Rep. Rich Glorioso, Fasano helped ensure that $1 million in funding for the Florida Access to Civil
Legal Assistance Act was in the 2010-11 budget approved by the Legislature. Rep. Sandy Adams, Sen. Arthenia
Joyner and Sen. Victor Crist each played vital roles in securing an additional $1 million appropriation for foreclosure
assistance to low-income families. As of press time, the budget had not yet been signed by Gov. Charlie Crist.