On this Memorial Day we remember those who have served our country and paid the ultimate price for our freedom and security. All of our brave veterans are heroes. Unfortunately some of them return home and face both financial and legal hardship. The Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic is proud to partner with an organization called Helping Veterans and Families (HVAF). HVAF refers veterans directly to the Clinic for help with a variety of legal needs. 

In case you missed it, this November, we highlighted our partnership with HVAF of Indiana, Inc., featuring stories about our shared clients and discussing important issues affecting homeless veterans.

When I was in middle school, I went to the library as often as I could. I read about the Roman legion and the Macedonian phalanx, Alexander the Great and his encounter with the war elephants of King Porus, the American Civil War and great tacticians like Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. The librarian would sometimes set aside the latest books she had about war and history, knowing that I would walk through her doors again soon, looking for a new text to devour.

In case you missed it, this October, we celebrated our faithful supporters, sharing stories about our donors, prayer partners, volunteers, and community partners. We would not exist without YOU!

Since 2013, the Legal Clinic has partnered with Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation (HVAF) to meet the legal needs of homeless veterans in Indiana. Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, HVAF has come a long way from their first housing project when they established a residence for five homeless veterans. In 2017 alone, they served more than 1300. Bryan Dysert, Director of Programs and Services at HVAF, says, “[We have the] capacity to house 158 veterans on any given night. And while they’re in that program, they’re receiving case management services, employment services, legal services—really anything that they need to get back to self-sufficiency.”

This 4th of July, we celebrated three different clients who recently became U.S. citizens. We also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) Program by releasing a video with stories of how it benefits the community.

Although Cameron served faithfully in the U.S. Army for many years and was honorably discharged in the late 1980s, he had encountered many difficulties since that time. As a result, he became addicted to drugs. This addiction affected every aspect of his life, snowballing until he was homeless, without a job, and carrying a lifetime suspension on his driving privileges.

At the Clinic, we have a lot to love! Our last Justice For All Gala was our most successful ever--raising $152,440.09 thanks to all of our supporters! We also welcomed four new Board Members in the past few weeks, like Todd Fisher, Carol Hartman, John Gurchiek, and Lori Torres! And we got to participate in the Spirit & Place Festival for the first time this past fall, helping more people in our community understand the needs of ex-offenders!

This October, we celebrated a record-breaking Justice For All Gala, featuring keynote speaker and NYT best-selling author Bob Goff. Leading up to the event, Board Member Matthew Barr shared his thoughts on why his firm, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, chooses to financially support the Legal Clinic. After the event, we summarized some of the best JFA highlights and shared a video featuring a client family that survived a genocide in Ethiopia.

As a veteran who served in the Navy during the Vietnam era, Gordon had seen more than his fair share of life's difficulties over the years. After his service ended, for a time, his life started to go off track. Due to substance abuse issues, Gordon lost his job. He started to rack up debt. Eventually, he lost his home.