Izakhamuzi zase-Elyria u-Kody no-Tina bebengalindele ukuba abazali abakhulisa izingane ezisanda kweva eshumini nambili.
“Sasuka ekubeni umbhangqwana osemusha osanda kweva eminyakeni engu-20 singenabo esihlala nabo, kwaze kwadingeka ukuba sibe nomthwalo wemfanelo,” kusho uTina njengoba ekhumbula ukuthi kwakunjani ukwamukela abashana bomyeni wakhe.
Nakuba izinhliziyo zabo zanda kanye nomndeni wabo, lo mbhangqwana wathola ukuphila kumatasa nezimali ziqinile. Ngemvume yomzali wabafana, uKody wawafuna embuthweni wakhe wentela iminyaka emibili ngaphandle kwesigameko.
Kodwa lapho i-IRS inquma ukucwaninga, umndeni wadonsa kanzima ukunikeza ubufakazi bokuthi abafana babengaphansi kokunakekela kwawo. Ebhekene no-$10,000 wentela ekhokhwayo, u-Kody wafinyelela kwa-Legal Aid, lapho ivolontiya le-ACT 2 elingaphakathi endlini u-John Kirn lisize umbhangqwana ukuthi ukhombe futhi uthole imibhalo ababeyidinga.
“Bekunesiphithiphithi, kodwa ummeli wethu ubemuhle. Usisize kakhulu, esishayela isonto ngalinye ezosibuyekeza,” kusho uTina. "Futhi manje sesiyazi ukuthi yimiphi imibhalo esiyidingayo ngokuzayo."
Njengobaba wokutholwa, uKirn uwazisa kakhulu amakhasimende akhe e-pro bono. “Bangabantu abancomekayo,” kusho uKirn. “Inkinga bekuwukuthi okungenani kuze kube inkantolo ibanikeza ilungelo lokuhlala, bekumele bathole ukuthi banabo ngempela, sabaqondisa kulolu hlelo.”
Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezalandela, uKirn usize umbhangqwana ukuthi uthole futhi uhambise imibhalo ababeyidinga ku-IRS. Baphinde bathola enye indawo ekhanyayo empilweni yabo. “Kwafika owesithathu, umshana omncane,” kusho uKirn.
Ngokumeleleka nokwelulekwa ngabakwaLegal Aid, umndeni uthole izindaba zokuthi awusenakukweleta lesi sikweletu. Futhi nakuba abashana baka-Kody abadala sebephinde bahlanganiswa nomzali wabo obazalayo, umbhangqwana usesigabeni sokugcina sokuba abazali baphakade kanye nekhaya eliphephile, elizinzile lomshana omncane ka-Kody.
Sibonga ngokukhethekile ku-The Cleveland Foundation's Encore Prize kanye ne-Legal Services Corporation Pro Bono I-Innovation Fund yokweseka uhlelo lwamavolontiya lwe-Legal Aid lwe-ACT 2 lwabameli asebethathe umhlalaphansi kanye nasebephuzile.