Beth Bales: Does Your Non-Profit Want Help? Bar Association's Deadline Extended to Friday

A program aimed at combating gangs and gang crime. Efforts to provide legal services for victims of abuse who speak limited English. And money to help fund a program to provide free legal service to parents of children with disabilities.

These are some of the efforts funded by the Kane County Bar Foundation with grants last year.

The foundation is again accepting applications for grants from non-profit organizations, to help them meet the unfilled legal needs of local citizens.

Because of website difficulties for those trying to access the application, the deadline for this year has been extended until Friday, July 15. 

These funds “encourage and reward cooperation and creativity to develop new and innovative programs and resources to better meet the legal needs of the community," according to the foundation.

Last year, said foundation Executive Director Jan Wade, the foundation distributed $13,825 to seven local agencies and organizations, including:

• Prairie State Legal Services, to hire Spanish interpreters to assist limited-English speaking victims of abuse
• Administer Justice for its “Project HOME” program that provides professional help to address legal and tax isses that surround home foreclosure and the eviction process. 
• Mutual Ground, to aid in their programs to provide emergency shelter and advocacy for victims of domestic violence 
• Boys and Girls Club of Elgin, for anti-gang and anti-violence efforts 
• Community Crisis Center, to print informational materials in Spanish   
• PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter), Aurora, for its Hope Legal Clinic, which provides volunteer lawyers twice a month at Hesed House, to see clients who otherwise would likely have no access to legal assistance     
• Special Ed Advocacy Center, which provides free legal service to parents of children with disabilities  
• Boy Scouts of America–Three Fires Council, for its juvenile diversion program (now called Turning Point).   

To obtain an application, e-mail the executive director, Jane Wade, at director@kanecountybar.org or call 630-762-1915.