…20 years of serving as our Executive Director, Marty Ellin said goodbye to AVLF. In his 20 years, Marty grew the organizational budget to more than $5,000,000 and established the $1,000,000 SAFE Fund for operational reserves. He also launched the nationally recognized Safe Families Office and Standing with Our Neighbors. “The many, many gracious and loving friends I have made through working at AVLF have continued to stand with me and my family i…
…al families at Thomasville Heights Elementary School Ms. Quinn came to the Safe Families Office in April 2020 seeking a protective order against her husband. She was placed with a volunteer attorney, who helped extend her TPO for 12 months, receive child and spousal support, and gain custody of her twin boys. Thanks to Hunton Andrews Kurth, she was able to celebrate with her kids this year in safety. “This was such a blessing to me and my boys,” s…
…process easier and quicker, while also addressing survivors non-legal needs – such as childcare. Want to read more about what’s happening at the Safe Families Office? Check out some other blog posts here. 3380…
…ail the plans I had for my life. So, I set about a course to do just that. Safe and stable housing during childhood is the bedrock for success as an adult. A place where a child feels safe and loved. Later on in life, I would reflect on that decision and where it came from. Why did I choose to finish my education versus the dozens of other choices I could have made? After much thought, I decided that little house on Sorrento Street, between Norfol…
…obate Information Center programs. She spends most of her work days in the Safe Families Office at the Fulton County Courthouse assisting survivors of domestic violence in petitioning for temporary protective orders against their abusers and subsequently coordinating volunteer attorneys to assist those survivors in obtaining 12-month protective orders. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Sociology minor from the Universit…
…Joel Correa and Cynthia Padilla. Cynthia Padilla & Joel Correa Joel is the Safe Families Office Staff Attorney for AVLF’s Domestic Violence Program. He focuses on offering legal assistance and representation to survivors of domestic violence and manages the Safe Families Office (SFO) in the Fulton County Courthouse with Partnership Against Domestic Violence. Prior to joining AVLF, Joel was the Supervising Staff Attorney at the Georgia Law Center f…
…papers.’” Cecilia Aluko-Roberts Doumba Sannoh came with her mother to the Safe Families Office at the beginning of 2018. She obtained a 12-month protective order in February. A short six months later, her respondent murdered her. When Doumba was in the Safe Families Office, her focus was getting resources for Christopher. She wanted him to have everything he deserved. Through this tragedy, I have had the opportunity to get to know her mother, Cec…
…ionals. It’s a new level of care. When a survivor of abuse comes in to the Safe Families Office, they bring more than just their legal issues. They may be wondering where to go to stay safe that night, how they’re going to get time off work for their next hearing, or who they can reach out to for emotional support. They may be planning how they can provide for their families without financial help from an abusive partner. Or maybe they’re just sea…
…ainst Domestic Violence, and the Fulton Count State and Superior Courts. Join us as we reflect on our growth and success in serving survivors of intimate partner abuse, honor our staff and partners, and look to the future of the Safe Families Office. Light refreshments will be provided. Location Fulton County Courthouse Justice Center Tower 185 Central Ave, SW Suite J1-7000 (7th floor, Jury Assembly Room) Atlanta, Ga 30303 Click here to RSVP by Fe…
…pport for survivors. This goes beyond the legal assistance we provide. The Safe Families staff also offers safety planning, emergency assistance, and access to other resources that are crucial to a survivor’s independence. The emergency kits will be a valuable resource for our clients. We’re so grateful to the women of the Board who attended – and special thanks to Jaime Theriot for hosting the event at Troutman Sanders. AVLF is lucky to have Boar…
…t, does not simply serve abuse survivors in the Fulton County Courthouse’s Safe Families Office. She is also the Co-Chair of the Fulton County Family Violence Task Force, a coalition that draws on its member agencies to strengthen protections for domestic violence survivors. Where community members and policy-makers gather to debate issues and make plans that affect tenants and survivors, AVLF is often in the room. AVLF staff are also active membe…
…ow that AVLF’s Safe and Stable Families Project, including the work of the Safe Families Office, is more important than ever. I have represented survivors from every walk of life – from business women with Ivy League degrees to immigrant women scared of our system to single mothers struggling to escape abuse while wondering how they will pay rent and feed their children. Intimate partner violence knows no race, class, creed, age, gender or orienta…
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