Impact Church Back to School Block Party 2017

On August 12, 2017, Impact Church in Merrillville, Indiana hosted its 2017 Back to School Block Party. The event, which took a year to plan, drew over 1,600 individuals and served 600 students with basic school supplies.

150 volunteers, including some of our very own Lerner and Rowe staff, assisted the church with set up, school supply and clothing distribution, haircuts, serving meals and supervised kid’s activities. This event truly demonstrated love in action! Families had a great time; the kid’s walked away with backpacks full of school supplies and volunteers left with big smiles on their faces proud of the contribution they made. We could not have asked for a better day! Special thanks to Impact Church for your compassionate ministry in Merrillville and for the opportunity you gave us to sponsor such a wonderful event.

2017 Back to School Bash

The Salvation Army Gary-Merrillville Corps and Carter Memorial Church partnered once again to host the 2017 Back to School Bash in Gary, Indiana. Through this annual partnership, and with the help of business sponsors such as Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys, 400 local kids were gifted with backpacks filled with school supplies. This event also included a community fair, free hearing tests, haircuts, lunch, treats and fun activities for the kids. At the event, our Lerner and Rowe volunteers were tasked with a very important responsibility. In an hour and a half, they successfully cranked out over 1,000 ice cones for the kids! It is always an honor to serve alongside organizations such as The Salvation Army and Carter Memorial Church.

2017 National Night Out with CPD

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys celebrated this year’s National Night Out with our friends at the Chicago Police Department’s District 009.  National Night Out (NNO) is an annual celebration that takes place on the first Tuesday of August in communities across the country.  This event seeks to promote peace and partnerships between the police and the local community. District 009’s event was hosted at McKinley Park in the back of the yards neighborhood.  The event included live music, diverse food vendors, kid’s activities, and raffles. Community organizations were also in attendance to educate the public regarding programs and initiatives currently being offered in their local neighborhoods.

Our Chicago injury attorneys commend the Chicago Police Department for a job well done in the planning and execution of this successful event.  This celebration was a true representation of the local community.  From a multi-cultural and cross generational standpoint, the event drew the support of all the different groups that make up this great community.  It was also a beautiful sight to witness the friendship between the police and the local citizens. Much relationship building has taken place over the years to foster the kind of trust and partnerships they now enjoy.  It is all about planting seeds that one day will reap the kind of harvest we all desire, peace.

Giving Back in Chicago’s Woodlawn Community

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys considers it a privilege to “give back” to local neighborhoods in Chicago.  Our most recent contribution to Hope Works Community Development is making a difference in the lives of job seekers in the Woodlawn Community.  Here is what Rebekah King, Executive Director of Hope Works, recently shared with us:

“The gift from Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys in July made it possible for our staff to meet with 19 job seekers, three of whom received job offers this month! We also had 5 clients begin their interview process; all of them were able to use the business clothing provided through the Lerner and Rowe Gives Back clothing drive.”

Organizations such as Hope Works may not be well-known, but the impact they are making is evident in real life stories of individuals transitioning from crisis into employment and self-determination.  The following life transformation stories are some of the reasons our Chicago personal injury attorneys support Hope Works Chicago.

Sherin’s Story

When Sherin began working at Hope Works last January, she was a graduate student looking to create change in her community. As she prepares to move to New York to pursue her Ph.D, she says her enthusiasm for Hope Works and its GED program has yet to waver: “My passion around education revolves around defeating cycles of poverty. I firmly believe that a child’s success can be shaped through their education.”

According to Sherin, the first few meetings with clients are always the most challenging. “People have walls up. I understand that it’s hard to trust that I’ll care about you when so many people haven’t, but if you don’t develop a relationship with someone, how can you inspire change?”

One of Sherin’s favorite success stories is Patrice, a Woodlawn resident who attends weekly GED lessons at Hope Works. Despite expressing initial doubt about her abilities, Patrice has consistently excelled on her assignments and demonstrated the impact of hard work and determination.

For a community advocate like Sherin, she says that the greatest reward has been seeing clients like Patrice gain confidence in their ability to succeed. “It’s inspiring to see Patrice realize that she can get her GED and become a good example to her children and her grandson. By coming to Hope Works, you can eliminate the stereotypes of what it’s like to be on the Southside.”

Ruth’s Story

Ruth, who is a single mom of 5 kids, just got a job as an assistant manager at one of our partner organizations in the Woodlawn Community. As an assistant manager, Ruth received her first-ever business card with this job, something we celebrated with her! Ruth’s job is paying a livable wage and affording stability for Ruth and her five children in Woodlawn.

For more information about Hope Works Chicago or to make a financial contribution, visit: https://www.hopeworkschicago.org/

Mark Avenue Fun Fest 2017

This past Saturday, July 22nd, our law firm participated in the Mark Avenue Fun Fest in Elgin, IL. This event was hosted by Greater Grace Community Church in collaboration with Christ Community Church, Elgin Evangelical Free Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Fox Valley Christian Action and Lerner and Rowe Gives Back.

Despite area power outages and downed trees caused by a severe thunderstorm the night before, the Mark Avenue Fun Fest went on as planned. The fest began around 11 am and continued until 4 pm with a steady flow of neighbors joining in on the fun. The crazy weather did not stop families from enjoying all that this event had to offer. Surrounding the church was plenty of evidence of the damage caused by the destructive microburst storm, but on the grounds of Greater Grace Church, the atmosphere was festive and welcoming.

Picture of the Festival

As neighbors walked down the sidewalk and approached the church grounds, they could hear the live music provided by the PUSH band with members from The Vineyard and Discovery Church. As they got closer, they could smell the delicious BBQ lunch courtesy of Greater Grace Community Church.

Once on the grounds, they could hear the laughter from the children playing all the fun carnival games provided by Elgin E-Free church. They could see the kids jumping on the bouncy house or sliding on the inflatable water slide, and even kicking balls into the giant soccer dart board game. As they gazed toward the blocked street, they could see the older youth playing around the basketball hoop. Our friend, Roger Simmons from Fox Valley Christian Action, ran a basketball three-point contest for the older boys. There was definitely something fun for every age group to enjoy but this was not all.

At registration, each family also received a raffle ticket in anticipation of the grand prize finale. Parents with children in grades 1st through 5th could also sign up to receive back to school supplies courtesy of Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. For our firm, the Mark Avenue fun fest marked the kick off of our back to school efforts here in Chicago. Through sponsorships and our very own school supply giveaway events, Lerner and Rowe Gives Back will serve 9,000 kids with school supplies in Arizona, Chicago, and Las Vegas in the 2017 season.

The Mark Avenue Community

Mark Ave is a community on the border of the Eagle Heights neighborhood in Elgin, IL. It is an area traditionally known to attract low-income families seeking affordable housing. On one side of the street is a row of apartment buildings while on the other side, single-family homes. Depending on what side of the street one lives on, this often signals what socio-economic group one belongs to.

Mark Avenue has never been a place to establish roots but more like a stepping stone in a personal quest to transition to a “better” neighborhood in Elgin. Over the years, the Mark Ave community has been known as a depressed and hurting community needing all the encouragement and support they could get. In the midst of this reality lies Greater Grace Community Church, a beacon of hope in this community. The church plays an important role in bridging the Eagle Heights and Mark Avenue communities through events such as The Mark Avenue Fest.
For more information about Greater Grace Community Church, please visit: www.ggcc.church

The Boys and Girls Club “Tween Room” Makeover

Just one mile west of the Las Vegas strip and nestled in the center of a residential neighborhood is the headquarters for the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada. To the casual passerby, the Lied Memorial Clubhouse located on 2850 Lindell Road doesn’t look like much is happening inside but each day hundreds of underserved youth take refuge there.

Recently, our Las Vegas injury lawyers learned that the club was in need of support to create an age-appropriate activity space for youth ages 10-12. Tomarco Glasper, the club’s director explained that these rooms are an important component of their programming. Providing fun and age-appropriate spaces for these kids enhances their experience at the club. Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys agreed to with the The Boys and Girls Club “Tween Room” Makeover.

The project was a true community effort. Our law firm provided the funds needed to purchase equipment such as big screen TV’s, game controllers, sound bars and video games. Local artist Anne Mazzola joined us by purchasing and hand painting over two dozen canvasses with art work that appeal to this age group. The local youth and the Boys and Girls Club staff also helped by assembling equipment and by putting things in place. Together and in a short period of time, we were able to transform a dull space into a “Tween” worthy activity room.

On July 11th, 2017 we celebrated the completion of this project with an official unveiling. The kids loved the space! We enjoyed watching the smiles on each of their faces as they moved throughout the room trying out all the new activities.

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys thanks, The Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada for the opportunity to serve and wish them continued success in their mission to enable young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

There are 14 Boys and Girls Clubs located throughout Southern Nevada. They offer programs and services that promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.

For more information, please visit their website at: www.bgcsnv.org.