Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation (IBF) had a very successful year in 2013. Kelley Johnson, the immediate past-president of the IBF, deserves many accolades for her leadership. Additionally, the 24 board members, 11 committee chairs, and more than 100 committee volunteers and their efforts were the engines that drove us past our goals and should likewise be commended for their dedication. Finally, and most importantly, none of this could be possible without the continued support and generosity of you, the members of the Indianapolis Bar Association (IndyBar).
It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to serve with such a strong group of leaders and I can vouch to the fact that your foundation is in good hands.
My counterpart at the IndyBar agreed to provide me with an opportunity to contribute to the President’s Column from time to time this year to share with readers the impact that your foundation is having in the Indianapolis legal community.
I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief background of the IBF and the current initiatives your contributions help support. The IBF was founded in 1968 and is the fundraising arm of the IndyBar. The mission of the IBF is to advance justice and lead positive change in Indianapolis through philanthropy, education and service. We accomplish this mission by making an impact through service to our legal profession, through service to our Indianapolis community, and through education of our legal community.
In short, the IBF truly is your private foundation. By that, I mean the IBF’s annual fundraising goal of over $250,000 is supported almost entirely by attorneys and judges who are members of the IndyBar. With these fundraising efforts, your foundation annually funds the $35,000 Impact Fund grant and supports IndyBar programs and initiatives to the sum of more than $100,000.
Through the Impact Fund, the IBF seeks to invest substantial funds and the participation of IndyBar’s members in support of a single project presented by a non-profit organization that seeks to affect a significant positive impact in central Indiana. The grant is awarded to a non-profit organization that presents an initiative that will advance the administration of justice and an understanding of the law through philanthropy, education and service.
The Impact Fund serves to focus the collective generosity of the members of the IndyBar and amplify the impact of your financial giving. The 2013 Impact Fund recipient was Indiana Legal Service’s Military Assistance Project. This program provides free legal services to low-income military members and veterans.
IndyBar programs funded by the IBF’s annual fund include, without limitation, the following: Ask A Lawyer, the Bankruptcy Help Line, the Bench Bar Conference, the Diversity Job Fair, the Homeless Project, the Hospice Program, Legal Line, the Low Assets Will Program, Marion County Superior Court’s Pro Bono Program, staff for pro bono program support, technology for online education (including Web-based access to IndyBar Review), and scholarships for IndyBar Review, the Applied Professionalism Course, Law Students and the Bench Bar Conference.
As you can see, the IBF funds a variety of programs that provide vital assistance to our Indianapolis community. None of this would be possible without your continued generosity and support. I am asking for your continued support of your foundation in the coming year and provide the following opportunities for your consideration.
First, the IBF holds two main fundraising events throughout the year that give IndyBar members the opportunity to come together in support of the foundation. The Lawyer Links Golf Classic is scheduled to be held at the County Club of Indianapolis on July 17 and The Evening Under the Stars Dinner and Auction is scheduled to be held at the Crane Bay Event Center the evening of October 10. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending these events.
Second, the IBF hosts several Trivia Nights throughout the year. These started as a simple way to spread the word about the impact your foundation is having and have turned into a regular opportunity for members to gather and share camaraderie in a semi-competitive environment. Please participate in these events as your schedule will permit.
Finally, each IndyBar member can make a tangible impact by donating to the IBF. No gift is too small, but imagine the impact that you can make by giving a donation equivalent to one billable hour of your time. The IBF is the only charitable organization of its kind serving Indianapolis. No one else is doing what the IBF does and you can be a part of it. Be One. Have Impact. Support the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. Please donate your one billable hour at indybar.org/donate.•
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.