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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indianapolis Bar Foundation announced May 28 that the Joseph Maley Foundation has been named the recipient of the 2014 Impact Fund Grant of $35,000. Specifically, the grant will fund the foundation’s new Parent Education and Pro Bono Legal Assistance Program for central Indiana students with individualized education plans.
“On behalf of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation and its donors, we are delighted to award our Impact Fund Grant to a project that will raise awareness and provide legal assistance to those in our community facing legal issues associated with caring for a loved one with a disability,” says David J. Duncan of Bose McKinney & Evans LLP and 2014 president of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. “We look forward to partnering with the Joseph Maley Foundation to provide pro bono legal assistance addressing the challenges and opportunities in crafting individualized education plans. We are confident that together with the Joseph Maley Foundation, Indianapolis Bar Association members will affect positive and meaningful impact in these individuals’ daily lives.”
Indianapolis Bar Foundation Impact Grant Fund Committee Chair Melanie Reichert of Broyles Kight & Ricafort PC (pictured at far right) presents the 2014 Impact Fund Grant to the Joseph Maley Foundation at a celebration breakfast held Wednesday, May 28. Representing the Joseph Maley Foundation were (from left) John Maley of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Allison Boyll, Maggie Mestrich and Vivian Maley.The Joseph Maley Foundation was founded in 2008 with the mission to serve children of all abilities. The organization works to build acceptance of individuals through programs that engender compassion and respect for the diversity of life, with its efforts focusing primarily on disability awareness, adaptive athletics, opportunities for youth leadership, and service learning.
The Parent Education and Pro Bono Legal Assistance Program is specifically designed to address the unmet legal needs of central Indiana’s special education students, providing education, counseling and advocacy for parents and guardians and their students with disabilities. In addition to the grant funding, program support from the Indianapolis Bar Association will continue as members will be recruited as volunteer speakers, as volunteer writers for educational materials, and as pro bono advocates for students. The program is slated to begin in August 2014.
The Impact Fund began in 2011 as a vehicle to maximize the financial generosity of Indianapolis Bar Foundation donors and to provide members of the Indianapolis Bar Association with compelling opportunities to donate their time through pro bono service. This single, substantial grant to a non-profit organization is meant to provide a significant positive impact in central Indiana through the promotion of access to justice for indigent persons. Previous recipients of the IBF Impact Fund Grant include the Military Assistance Project of Indiana Legal Services Inc., Reach for Youth, and the Health and Human Rights Clinic at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. The application process for the 2015 grant will begin in early spring 2015.
The Impact Fund is an important tool in the foundation’s efforts to fulfill its mission: to advance justice and lead positive change in Indianapolis through philanthropy, education and service. In addition to the Impact Fund, the Indianapolis Bar Foundation grants $105,000 each year to a variety of community service programs co-sponsored with the Indianapolis Bar Association. Some of the programs funded include Ask a Lawyer, Legal Line, and educational programming at the Bench Bar Conference.•
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