LIFT’s workshops provide Family Law information and resources to partner organizations and litigants in local communities where they live and work. This quarter, LIFT presented to five organizations across New York State. Click here to read some of the highlights.
Know Your Rights: Child Support and Family Court
LIFT Director of Legal Resources and Community Outreach, Jessica Stadmeyer, and LIFT Staff Attorney, Joel Banuelos, presented a “Know Your Rights: Child Support and Family Court” workshop alongside the Assistant Deputy Chief Clerk in the Queens Family Court, Tracy Woods Trudden. The program was part of a series of Know Your Rights workshops produced by the Justice Initiatives at the Brooklyn Public Library. It was livestreamed on the Library’s YouTube page, with nearly 3,000 subscribers. We discussed Family Court updates and child support and demonstrated how to use LIFT’s Family Law Navigator and library of Legal Resource Guides.
New York Public Library Outreach Services
Jessica and Joel also presented to the library staff at the New York Public Library’s May “Morning Tea with Outreach” —offering information about Family Court and LIFT’s programs and services. They also discussed how library patrons can connect with LIFT and shared resources for the library to have at their branches.
Mount Sinai Social Determinants for Health Team
Blythe Hawthorne-Loizeaux, LIFT Pro Bono & Outreach Staff Attorney, presented to members of the Social Determinants for Health Team at Mount Sinai. The group is responsible for screening families for issues that may be affecting their health and for making referrals to community partners. With this new partnership, the Mount Sinai Medical Legal Partnership will be able to refer their patients with child support cases to LIFT’s Pro Bono Team.
Empowerment Series for New Hour Long Island: Formerly Incarcerated Women
Blythe presented to a group of formerly incarcerated women at New Hour, a Long Island non-profit that empowers justice impacted women and provides support for mothers, their children and families. The focus of the presentation was on child support and visitation issues that specially impact formerly incarcerated parents and caregivers. Many participants wanted to discuss their individual cases and, as a follow up, we plan to host a legal clinic to provide one-on-one consultations.
CUNY Fatherhood Academy at Kingsborough Community College
Jessica Stadmeyer and LIFT Pro Bono Coordinator, Caroline Casey, presented to the CUNY Fatherhood Academy at Kingsborough Community College. This was LIFT’s fourth time presenting to the Fatherhood Academy—a free program that supports unemployed and underemployed fathers between the ages of 18-30 through education, employment support and development. We covered information about LIFT’s programs with specific attention to paternity, child support, custody, visitation, and recent court updates.