Posted March 21, 20249:00 am
Thank you for being a Partner in Justice! This toolkit has resources to help you promote Legal Aid with your colleagues. If you have specific questions, toggle to the bottom of the page for staff contact info.
BECOME A LEGAL AID SPONSOR TODAY
Sponsorship is a fantastic way to support Legal Aid’s clients through free services while also gaining publicity, event tickets, and more. Become a sponsor today by filling out this form.
Questions? Reach out to Melanie Shakarian, Esq. at 216-861-5217.
All sponsors receive:
- Enhanced Publicity: Promotion before, during, and beyond the events, including exposure across all Legal Aid social media platforms - Facebook (6,300 followers), Twitter/X (4,000), Instagram (2,000), LinkedIn (2,800), and Threads (300).
NEW for 2024! - Additional exposure in Legal Aid’s paid advertisements, website, and Poetic Justice newsletter. - Digital & Print: Program shared with 20,000+ individuals during our Annual Meeting promotion (click here to see example 2023 book)
- Admission to each event: Sponsorship includes 10 tickets to each event.
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Legal Aid is the difference between homelessness & home; danger & safety; poverty & security. Your organization’s sponsorship affiliates you with Legal Aid’s work to extend justice. Click here to see last year's sponsors - you'll definitely want to join this list for 2024!
Details of sponsor levels/benefits:
- $15,000 Platinum Sponsorship
Includes headline sponsor status at events
Recognition in all pre-event publicity and mentions from the stage
Full page (8.5”w x 11”h) advertisement (color) in print and digital Annual Meeting program book - $10,000 Gold Sponsorship
Recognition in all pre-event publicity and mentions during events
Full page (8.5”w x 11”h) advertisement (color) in print and digital Annual Meeting program book - $8,000 Silver Sponsorship
Recognition in all pre-event publicity and mentions during events
Half page (8.5”w x 5.5”h) advertisement (color) in print and digital Annual Meeting program book - $7,000 Bronze Sponsorship
Recognition in all pre-event publicity and mentions during events
Quarter page (4.25”w x 5.5”h) advertisement (color) in print and digital Annual Meeting program book - $4,000 General Sponsorship
Recognition in all pre-event publicity and mentions during events
NEED AN UPDATE ON YOUR ORGANIZATION'S PARTICIPATION?
Legal Aid staff are happy to provide an updated participation report throughout the year. This report details your organization's roster, fundraising and volunteer updates, as well as total participation percentages. Reach out to Camille for an updated report.
IN THE NEWS: Signal Cleveland - Lost your license due to debt? A new state bill might fix that
After a Marshall Project – Cleveland and WEWS News 5 investigation published in August, Ohio legislators and advocacy groups expanded a proposed law to help hundreds of thousands of additional drivers restore their licenses.
The proposal, which has broad support among both parties, is working its way through the Ohio Senate. It will help eliminate fines and fees that have triggered license suspensions for offenses such as failing to show proof of insurance or missing child support payments.
Sens. Louis Blessing, a Republican from Colerain Township, and Catherine Ingram, a Democrat from Cincinnati, introduced Senate Bill 37, after a Marshall Project – Cleveland and WEWS News 5 investigation found that Ohio had more than 3 million active license suspensions.
If passed, the proposal would eliminate the state’s ability to suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a license if someone failed to pay a court fine or appear in court when the offense does not carry the possibility of jail or prison time.
The bill is expected to receive the Senate’s full approval before the Ohio House considers the measure. If approved by the House, the final bill would go to Gov. Mike DeWine later in 2024.
If Ohio makes the proposed changes, it will join more than 20 other states that have made it easier for drivers to avoid debt-related suspensions. Supporters say fewer suspensions will give drivers easier access to medical care and work, all without the fear of being pulled over by police and repeating the cycle of unpaid fines and multiple suspensions.
Anne Sweeney, managing attorney for community engagement at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, told the Senate committee in a Dec. 13 hearing that the license suspension crisis in Ohio is “truly staggering.”
“People cannot believe how many debt-related suspensions Ohio imposes annually,” Sweeney said. “[This proposal] goes a long way to addressing the debt-related suspension problem in Ohio, and would make Ohio a national leader among states passing similar reforms.”
Read the full article here.
IMPACT CORNER
Chavon (name changed to protect privacy) received an alarming letter from the IRS shortly after filing her taxes. Chavon relied on a limited fixed income and was notified that she owed the IRS $9,000. She could not afford that large of a payment and felt like she did not have any options left. She turned to Legal Aid for help.
Legal Aid’s Volunteer Lawyers Program allows experienced attorneys to provide pro bono services to those in need. The Volunteer Lawyers Program paired her with a tax attorney that could help her navigate the complicated IRS procedures.
Chavon’s attorney reviewed the IRS forms with her and assured her that they could find a solution. He prepared an offer in compromise (OIC) to submit to the IRS. An OIC can be filed when a taxpayer is financially unable to pay the IRS debt back. The IRS accepted the OIC, reducing her payment from $9,000 to $300, which she could pay back over five months in installments.
Thanks to her Legal Aid attorney, Chavon avoided what would have been an insurmountable financial burden.
MAKE A GIFT TODAY:
Support Legal Aid with a gift, and encourage your colleagues to do the same – Donate now.
Please follow Legal Aid on social media and share our posts – We’re active on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram!
Questions? Contact Melanie Shakarian: 216-861-5217 or melanie.shakarian@lasclev.org.
Visit here often to:
- Grab timely messaging you can use for internal communications at your firm/organization. Simply copy and paste!
- Learn about our latest events and news.
- Connect with us.
You are a valued advocate for our mission; we appreciate your passionate advocacy for Legal Aid!