Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, two staffers, being honored

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV), the only Hudson Valley provider of comprehensive civil legal services to those that cannot afford it when basic human needs are at stake, will be recognized with three awards next month.

Firstly, the Diversity Committee of the Westchester Women's Bar Association is pleased to announce that LSHV has been selected as the 2016 winner of the WWBA Diversity Achievement Award. The award, which recognizes efforts to promote and achieve diversity, as well as work in and on behalf of diverse communities, which is at the core of everything LSHV does. In fact, LSHV serves low-income residents of the Hudson Valley, from young children to seniors, at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline (which, in 2016, equals $48,600 for a family of four). Almost 70% of LSHVs clients are women and 77% of our female clients are heads of household with children. 39% of our clients are disabled, while 15% are elderly. And, 65% of LSHVs clients identify as African American or Hispanic. Additionally, three of LSHVs Westchester offices are based in communities with disproportionately high poverty rates (Mount Vernon at 16.1%, Yonkers at 15.9%, and Peekskill at 15.2%). In total, last year, LSHV's work impacted more than 32,600 people across the seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley.

Secondly, LSHV’s CEO, Barbara Finkelstein (pictured), has been named the 2016 Most Socially Conscious Attorney as part of Westfair Communication’s 10th Annual Above the Bar event on June 2nd with recognizes outstanding Westchester attorneys. Finkelstein is receiving this award because of her dedication and leadership to several causes in our community, especially LSHV. She has led the non-profit organization since 1995, growing it from $2 million budget to a $15 million budget with a staff of 130 in eight offices across seven counties. She is the first woman to lead the organization and is a national leader on the topic of civil legal services in areas of unmet need. Finkelstein is a member of Chief Justice's Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services in New York, the New York State Bar Association's President's Committee on Access to Justice, and the Board of Directors of Nonprofit Westchester. The award will be presented to LSHV at the WWBA's Annual Dinner on June 8th.

Finally, LSHV Staff Attorney, Christopher Oldi (pictured), will be recognized by the Westchester County Board of Legislators at their Annual LGBTQ Pride Month Recognition Program. The event recognizes the historic achievements and impact that members of the LGBTQ Community have made on the world. The event will take place on Monday, June 20th at the Westchester County Board of Legislators located at 148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor, in White Plains.

About Legal Services of the Hudson Valley

The mission of LSHV is to provide free, high-quality counsel in civil matters where basic human needs are at stake for poor and low-income individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney. With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to engage as many allies as possible in this effort. LSHV is the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services to all seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan). We are the recipient of Legal Services Corporation funding for the region and provide a full array of services to low-income individuals and families to meet the legal needs for “essentials of life” and preserve the stability of client households. The work we do each day provides justice to thousands of our neighbors who have nowhere else to turn. Our funding empowers us to: Protect people from domestic violence; Defend seniors against abuse; Serve veterans on the home front; Support the rights of the disabled; Keep families in their homes; and Advocate for children’s well-being.

For more information, visit www.lshv.org