Your contribution helped to make the 2005-2006 campaign our most successful to date. We raised $335,000.  Thank you. Each gift supports Greater Hartford Legal Aid -- hard working and dedicated attorneys providing legal services to the poor.

Corporations, law firms, and individuals increased giving in this year’s campaign.

Twelve law firms and corporations met the Foundation’s goal of giving an average billable hour for each attorney on their staffs. In addition, more than four hundred individuals provided significant support.

An initiative by United Technologies Corporation (UTC) led corporate contributions. UTC made a corporate donation and provided a matching-grant challenge to its Connecticut lawyers. Seventy-three percent of UTC attorneys made individual contributions totaling $18,775. Combined with the matching grant and the corporate gift, the total contribution from UTC was $47,550.

The campaign’s success was an important factor in GHLA’s ability to add attorney staff. The direct benefit to clients can already be seen with an increase in the number of cases opened in 2005. Additional staff also allowed GHLA to expand community legal education, giving clients the practical information they need to better advocates for themselves. The GHLA Board remained actively involved, conducting an organizational assessment and embarking on a strategic planning process to ensure that GHLA services provide maximum benefit to clients.

RN came to Connecticut to flee an abusive husband. A GHLA attorney provided extensive legal advice and counseling to guide Ms. N. through very complicated family and immigration legal issues and serious safety concerns. Working with her attorney, Ms. N developed a strategy that included removal of conditions on her resident alien card, change of address for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services file, entering the address into the confidentiality program, and divorce. Ms. N. is now a lawful permanent resident, free from the violence, and beginning a new job.

EN spoke limited English. Despite knowing her language limitation, the Housing Authority sent her a notice in English that her housing assistance would be terminated. No interpreter was present at the hearing, and her assistance was terminated. Then EN's landlord started a non-payment eviction case, even though she still paid her portion of the rent. At a new hearing, this time with an interpreter, a GHLA lawyer argued that the termination was improper because the notice was not in Spanish notices and that an interpreter was not provided at the hearing. EN's rental assistance was restored.