NEW BRITAIN, CT -- The American Savings Foundation board of directors announced that it has awarded two grants totaling $85,000 to the Children’s Law Center of Connecticut (CLC). The grants are $75,000 to support the Legal Representation program in New Britain and Waterbury, and $10,000 to the Families in Transition program.
Organized by a coalition of parents and professionals in 1992, the agency is the only one of its kind in Connecticut dedicated solely to the representation of children in family court. The Children’s Law Center of Connecticut provides legal services on behalf of children from low income families. Services included legal representation for children, family mediation, and the Children’s Law Line, which assists callers on issues involving children and family law in Connecticut.
The American Savings Foundation provided a $75,000 grant to the agency’s Legal Representation Program, which it has supported since 2004. CLC attorneys represent children who are involved in high conflict divorce and custody cases. Attorneys’ help children understand the legal process, meet with all parties involved in the case, appear in court, and conduct home visits. They make recommendations to the court and also monitor post-judgment compliance. The focus is always on putting the needs of the children first. In 2017, the Legal Representation program served 132 children from New Britain and 35 children from Waterbury.
“Over the years, funding from American Savings Foundation helped us bring this service first to the New Britain courts, and then expanded to Waterbury,” said Justine Rakich-Kelly, executive director of the Children’s Law Center. “Their continued funding has helped sustain this program, even as our other funding sources have changed.”
For the second year, the Foundation also awarded a $10,000 grant to the Families in Transition program. The goal of the program is to help parents come to a child-centered resolution that both parents can agree upon, avoiding the harmful impacts of a lengthy and contentious court battle.
“Our grants committee and our board recognized the Families in Transition program as an effective alternative to litigation, and a powerful complement to the Legal Representation Program which we have funded for a number of year,” said Maria Falvo, President and CEO. “By supporting these two programs, we hope to help more families can find positive ways to make decisions together about what is in the best interest of their children.”
American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment which provides grants to local nonprofit organizations, and college scholarships to area students. Since its inception in 1995 the Foundation has contributed over $53 million in total grants and scholarships in central Connecticut.
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Contact:
Maria Falvo
President & CEO
American Savings Foundation
860-827-2556
mfalvo@asfdn.org
Website: www.asfdn.org