2nd Annual Orange & Sullivan Partners in Justice Reception

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, May 24, 2018… On Thursday, May 17, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (“LSHV”) held its 2nd Annual Orange & Sullivan Partners in Justice Reception at The Meadowbrook in New Windsor, NY. During the program, a fundraiser to support LSHV’s work to prevent homelessness for children and families in those counties, Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP was honored as “Champion of Justice.” Dr. Dean Scher, President and CEO of Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange and Sullivan, was recognized as “Advocate for Justice.” 140 people attended the event and enjoyed a networking reception, which was followed by remarks about LSHV’s services by the organization’s CEO, Barbara Finkelstein, Esq., and a short video featuring two client success stories. The event was a success, raising significantly more funds than last year’s program.

Rachel Simons, the Attorney in Charge of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley’s Orange and Sullivan County offices, opened the program by welcoming guests and thanking Honorary Event Committee members, event sponsors, advertisers, our nonprofit community partners, and the dignitaries in attendance for their help in making the event successful. She remarked that “The numbers are stark. We handled 2,625 cases for Orange County residents, impacting 6,168 household members. And in Sullivan County, we handled another 641 cases impacting 1,506 household members. Approximately 70% of our clients were women, and 40% of those impacted were children.”

Barbara Finkelstein, Esq., Legal Services of the Hudson Valley’s CEO, expressed her appreciation to our community for joining us in the fight for equal access to justice for all. She said “Simply put, we are in the middle of a housing crisis, that unchecked will lead to a massive homelessness problem in this country, in this state, and in the communities where we live and work. That’s one of the reasons why almost 45% of the 15,000 cases we handled last year focused on preventing evictions, foreclosures and homelessness.”

“We appreciate the collaborative and reciprocal partnership we have with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. We are grateful for this recognition of our work and look forward to building upon our partnership in the future,” said Dr. Scher in accepting his award.

Accepting the award on behalf of Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, Senior Partner Gerald N. Jacobowitz said “We are excited to receive this prestigious award. Thank you to Legal Services of the Hudson Valley for your leadership and continued dedication to providing free, high-quality legal services to those in need. Jacobowitz and Gubits is proud to partner with you to help achieve equal access to justice for all and to make a difference in our community.”

30 community leaders lent their support to LSHV and this program by serving on the Honorary Event Committee. (The list of members is attached.)

This year’s sponsors were: Gold: Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP; Silver: Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange and Sullivan and an anonymous individual attorney; Bronze: Lakeland Bank, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Orange Regional Medical Center, Rhinebeck Bank, Walden Savings Bank; Media: Times Herald-Record.

A special thank you to this year’s Sponsorship Challenge Match Supporter, the Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, Inc.

Information on LSHV’s programs is available online at www.lshv.org. To obtain assistance, call 1-877-574-8529 (877-LSHV-LAW).