Having spent my adult life engaged in various public safety roles that always included adult training and education, some years ago I decided I wanted a change. I took some time off to determine my next steps – not realizing that doors were already open.

This February, we celebrated the work of our many volunteers. Your service is a blessing to us and to our neighbors. Thank you for your kindness!

On the blog, we introduced you to two of our volunteer attorneys: Jerry Kelly, who helps take on various types of immigration cases, and James Skill, a cancer researcher who went to law school so that he could volunteer for the Clinic! We also shared a special message from Community Partnerships Manager Ben Hayes.

Long before he volunteered with Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, Jerry Kelly had a relationship with Exodus Refugee, even serving on their Board for a period of seven years. After stepping down from the Board, he continued to serve as a regular volunteer in their offices. “In doing that, I got exposed to some of the immigration services that Exodus provides, like green card applications.” Soon, through this work, Jerry was introduced to the Legal Clinic.

In case you missed it, this January, we said farewell to our 25th anniversary year and we set our sights ahead. In 2020, we will continue to explore and share our vision for the future of the Clinic. We have faith that the Lord will guide us through this time of new beginnings. Thank you for walking alongside us. We wish you the most beautiful and blessed new year!

Dr. James Skill spends most of his day staring at a petri dish waiting to see what cells grow. An oncologic biochemist employed by IU, James researches recurrence rates and effects of immunosuppression on cancer.

Long before becoming our Fort Wayne Office Coordinator, Sarah Doak was interested in helping others. “Hip hop music exposed me to a lot of injustice that I had been sheltered from,” she says. Sarah decided to get her degree in social work and attended IUPUI for her freshman year. During this time, she started volunteering with our partners at Outreach, Inc., a non-profit organization that walks alongside homeless youth, equipping and empowering them to achieve stability and transformation in their lives.