…o see what our volunteers accomplish in 2019. 3. We had more visits to the Safe Families Office than ever before. In 2018, nearly 3,500 people came through the Safe Families Office. And out of those 3,500 people, we helped 1,673 with filing a petition for a protective order, safety planning, and/or were accompanied to an ex parte hearing. Over 90 of these clients then sought additional help from our growing Family Law Program, which helps survivor…
…nt them in their family law litigation. Imagine: a survivor walks into the Safe Families Office seeking an order of protection against a spouse, who is also the other parent to their children. Through a Temporary Protective Order, the Safe Families Office can help the survivor receive temporary child support, temporary custody, and even temporary spousal support. Thanks to AVLF’s Family Law Program, the services do not end there. The client can ap…
…VLF’s signature programs. My first trip out in the field began at the Safe Families Office with a tour led by Lilli Crowe, program coordinator for the Safe and Stable Families Project. Many of the clients were anxious and even a bit hesitant about being there, but by the end of the day, I could tell they were filled with confidence. The second I walked through the doors, I knew this office meant business. The room was bustling with lawyers and adv…
…till be filed at this time in person or by video call. More information at safefamiliesoffice.org. 2. Financial uncertainty threatens a survivor’s safety and independence. Financial abuse is a common aspect of intimate partner abuse. The current financial crisis surrounding COVID-19, means increased barriers for those seeking to leave an abusive relationship. [Listen to our Safe & Stable Families Director Jamie Perez speak with On Second Thought’s…
…dinary service and meets a tangible need. They offer baby supplies for our Safe Families Office clients, and allow survivors to continue to make requests as long as supplies are needed. Helping Mamas has a really accessible online portal for requests for clients, and they pay attention to detail. If someone states they have a 0-6 month old, but requests clothing for a 12 month old, they reach out to clarify which is an incredibly helpful aspect of…
…passion is what led me to Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and to the Safe Families Office (SFO). I interned with the SFO the summer after my first year of law school. I interviewed victims of domestic violence and walked them through the process of getting an ex parte protective order. It was overwhelming and sometimes heartbreaking, but when a client gave me a hug or just a sincere thank you I knew I was making a difference. I continued to…
…rvice by working with AVLF and pursuit of practicing law in Georgia. Outside of work she enjoys local concerts, spending time with family, and exploring Atlanta. Safe Families Office Administrator, Safe and Stable Families Project stucker@avlf.org 470-889-9082…
…ment, her boyfriend became distracted, and she bolted. Ms. Talley told the Safe Families team that her abuser was calling her family and friends, threatening to murder her. She left the Courthouse that day with a Temporary Protective Order. Shortly after, first-time volunteer Kevin Kucharz of King & Spalding readily volunteered to represent her pro bono. Kevin successfully negotiated a consent twelve-month protective order in which Ms. Talley’s ex…
…nior project, and I thought I was prepared for whatever came my way at the Safe Families Office. I was even prepared for the ever-present question, “Why does she stay?” But I was not prepared for how emotionally involved I would become in AVLF’s Safe and Stable Families Project. I started as an intern with AVLF at the SFO in August of 2015 and stayed on as an extern in the spring of 2016. I was eager to represent a domestic violence client at a 12…
…lunteer Lawyers Foundation, and Partnership Against Domestic Violence, our Safe Families Office Managing Attorney has been participating in a forum addressing best practices for serving survivors of intimate partner abuse in the courts. Originally, the metro area organizations just wanted to learn from each other by visiting each others’ counties, watching TPO court, and meeting the judges and advocates. These conversations developed into the Metr…
…Money from the “Flash Fund” grant will be used to support the work of the Safe and Stable Families Project and AVLF’s Annual Campaign. According to the PwC Foundation’s website, they are “inspired by the generosity of PwC partners, principals, and staff. PwC is honored to make grants to the charities where the people of PwC volunteer their time.” Funds from this grant will be used to support the work of the Safe and Stable Families Project and AV…
…Annual Gideons Giving Tree. Hunton Andrews Kurth also sponsored two of our Safe and Stable Families clients for the holidays. The Georgia Paralegal Association and Butler Snow LLP each sponsored sponsored one of our Saturday Lawyer Program clients – incuding a single mother of four. Our former Community Advocate Christal Reynolds and her band, Surround Sound, purchased gifts for a Standing with Our Neighbors family on the Westside. As we look forw…
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