News FrOm Our HOuse Happy Endings & Stronger Families Fall 2014

Fall 2014
News From Our House
The Children’s LAW Center of Connecticut  Protecting children & strengthening families
Happy Endings &
Stronger Families
Please note: our stories are true but names have been changed to protect our young clients.
860.232.9993
w w w. c l c c t . o rg
We hope our services have
helped you or a child and family
you know. Maybe you’ve been
a client, a volunteer, a donor,
an attorney or social worker
involved with the Children’s
Law Center. If so, tell us your
story and how CLC inspired you
and helped you succeed. Please
contact us at CLC@clcct.org.
7-Year Old Jonathan was living with his mother, while his dad was
incarcerated. When Jonathan and his mother met with our CLC attorney,
it was clear that mom had significant
mental health issues. She was withdrawn
and barely spoke. DCF was brought in
and Jonathan was sent to live with his
paternal grandparents. In the meantime,
dad was released from prison, but had no
job, no place to live. Jonathan’s mother
entered counseling and treatment,
showing good signs of progress: her
behavior is now stable, she is on regular
medication and is holding down a job.
Dad is also making positive strides, has
been compliant with parole, has a job and an apartment. During this time,
Jonathan has remained with his grandparents. Both parents are anxious
to be a part of Jonathan’s life. The court and our attorney have concurred
that it is time to reunify him with his parents. They now share joint
custody and Jonathan is beginning to experience a safe, consistent family
environment with both his mother and father in his life.
Our cases are among the most complex and difficult the courts see. All
are exacerbated by conditions of chronic conflict like violence, addiction,
physical abuse, incarceration, mental illness and more. Our goal is to
provide the best possible living environments for these impoverished
children caught in the middle of their parents’ contentious disputes and
challenging problems.
• Interested in volunteering? CLC’s Families in Transition program is currently in need of mental health professionals who have
completed a 40-hour certified mediation training. For information about becoming a volunteer mediator, please contact CLC’s
Staff Social Worker Nikki Lewoc at Nicole@clcct.org or 860.232.9993.
• We welcome you as a member of our Founder’s Society with your long time giving and personal legacy.
Contact Rosalie Roth at 860.232.9993 or Rosalie@clcct.org.
WE ARE GROWING!
CLC is pleased to announce that with the support from our generous funders
and board of directors, the organization is planning to be statewide by the end of
2015. Currently with a presence in nine of Connecticut’s family court jurisdictions
(Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, Fairfield-Bridgeport, Stamford-Norwalk,
Waterbury, Tolland, Windham, and New London-Norwich), there are four districts
remaining: Litchfield, Middlesex, Ansonia-Milford and Danbury.
New CLC Staff:
Meet Monique: Monique Ryan joined the Children’s Law Center
as staff attorney in the Norwich judicial district, as part of CLC’s
expansion into this jurisdiction earlier in the year. Atty. Ryan is
a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and
completed her undergraduate studies at UCONN. She is an
experienced family law attorney and is also an adjunct professor
at Sacred Heart University.
Meet Nicole: Nicole Lewoc, hired as CLC’s new social
worker, brings years of experience specializing in social
work with children in public and private school settings.
Ms. Lewoc holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from
Springfield College in Massachusetts and an undergraduate
Bachelor of Arts degree from Keene State College in
New Hampshire. She obtained her Clinical Social Work
License (LCSW) from the State of Connecticut. Ms. Lewoc’s
appointment comes at a strategic time in CLC’s history as
we take the opportunity to restructure and more effectively
invest in and enhance the mental health aspect of our work
in conjunction with our expansion plans.
New Board Member:
Meet Jeanne: Former State Child Advocate Jeanne
Milstein has joined our Board of Directors. After retiring
as the Child Advocate in 2012 after twelve years as the
high-profile head of the watch dog office, Milstein has
continued her work on behalf of children, working for the
State of New York and the City of New York. Recently she
has also been a consultant to the Partnership for Strong
Communities in Hartford. Milstein began her Connecticut
career in 1977 as a volunteer for VISTA, and then went
on to work for the Department of Children and Families,
and the Connecticut Commission for Children. She also
served as Executive Director of the Women’s Center of
Southeastern Connecticut and Legislative Director of the
Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. Milstein
holds a B.S. degree from Cornell University.
“To have someone with such substantive and relevant
knowledge of the issues we face is a real asset. We are
honored to have Jeanne join us and look forward to her
energy and relentless dedication to advocating for children,”
remarked Board President Attorney Barbara Aaron.
Board of Directors:
Barbara Aaron, President
Robert Madden, Vice President
Jonathan Fink, Treasurer
Pamela Magnano, Secretary
Mark Boxer
Tim Buckley
Sandra Gersten
William Johnson
Christine Miller
Jeanne Milstein
Patrick Proctor
James Russell
Elizabeth Thayer
Jovanni Valentini
Maureen Zavatone
CLC Staff:
Justine Rakich-Kelly
Executive Director
Randa Hojaiban
Deputy Director
Rosalie Roth
Director of Development
Aisha Roche
Staff Attorney
David Coughlin
Staff Attorney
Seon Bagot
Staff Attorney
Parul Patel
Staff Attorney
Kathryn Bissonnette
Staff Attorney
Artila Lubonja
Staff Attorney
Monique Ryan
Staff Attorney
Nicole Lewoc
Staff Social Worker
Summer Spellman
Development Associate
Brooke Garcia
Administrative Professional
American Savings Foundation Comes Full Circle:
From Grant to Scholarship to Employee
The Children’s Law Center has a long standing relationship
with the American Savings Foundation (ASF) and was an
early grant recipient in 1996. “One of the first grants in
our history helped expand services at the Children’s Law
Center,” said David Davison, President and CEO of American
Savings Foundation. Since that time, ASF has generously
awarded CLC $684,000 in total program support. In more
recent years, an additional grant
opportunity and collaboration
has developed between the two
organizations.
The Foundation funds a summer
internship program at CLC.
College students apply to the
Foundation for a paid internship
at our non-profit; CLC interviews
and makes the final decision on
which applicant will receive the paid summer internship.
The summer project, which funds the Children’s Law Line
Outcome Report, is compiled by the ASF intern, and provides
CLC with important feedback on our Law Line telephone help
line available free to the general public. Close to 2,000 callers
are assisted each year. Through the ASF summer internship
program, we are able to reconnect with our callers to learn
how helpful we were in addressing the family law issues they
were encountering. These are people we never see face-toface but who trust us to assist them with the very personal,
life altering and critical problems they are dealing with. They
are often stressed, scared and don’t know where to turn.
Most of the time, we are their first line of information as they
seek help navigating a complex and overwhelming system of
laws, procedures and unfamiliar jargon.
When we hear comments like this
from the annual outcome reports, “I
called you and it was a weight lifted
off my shoulders to have someone
listen and help me figure out what I
needed to do to protect myself and
my son,” we know that our service is
important and working well.
The ASF interns who have worked for us over the years
have been highly competent self-starters. In fact, the 2008
ASF intern Artila Tasho Lubonja was exceptionally capable.
From her experience at CLC she was inspired to attend
law school and is now a permanent staff attorney at CLC
covering the Waterbury Family Court. She is an outstanding
example of the effectiveness of the partnership of our two
organizations!
Thank you, American Savings Foundation, for all you do for us!
The mission of The Children’s Law Center is to protect
poor children in family court cases and to advocate for
systemic changes to the adversarial system and other
policies that advance the well-being of children involved in
family transitions.
With your help we served more than 2,700 children and
families last year.
We look forward to your continued support. Thank you for
your belief in our mission and your generous support!
Donate now at www.clcct.org!
Support CLC on a monthly basis! We’re glad to set up a recurring monthly gift on your credit card – simply call Summer Spellman at
860.232.9993 with your amount and account information. Thank you!
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Connect with us!
Online at www.clcct.org
Save These Dates!
October 18th
On SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH the Wallingford Moose Riders are hosting a Bike Show, Dinner and
Concert to benefit CLC from 12:00 - 8:00 PM at Wallingford Moose Lodge, Wallingford, CT.
December 5th
CLC hosts its annual IMAGINE: We Are Family! Gala on
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH
Hartford Golf Club, West Hartford, CT 5:30 - 8:00 PM
Honoring Judge F. Herbert Gruendel & Dr. Janice M. Gruendel
Tickets and sponsorships are available.
January 31st
On Saturday, January 31st we are teaming up with the Hartford Wolf Pack to host a fundraising
night for CLC. Fun for the whole family and CLC will receive a portion of all tickets sold!
For more information please contact Summer at 860.232.9993 or Summer@clcct.org!