Financial Health Clinic Day
Summary Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Written By: Russell Rawlings
 |
The NCBA Foundation Endowment is supporting the
Bankruptcy Section's first Financial
Health Clinic Day on Saturday, April 30. Section Chair Elizabeth
Repetti accepts publicity
check from NCBA President-Elect Martin Brinkley, left, and
President Gene Pridgen. |
Members of the
Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association provided
exceptional public service and pro bono assistance to the citizens
of North Carolina on Saturday, April 30, during the first Financial
Health Clinic Day.
The new program
was initiated by the Bankruptcy Section's Pro Bono Committee,
chaired by Victoria Wright. Free statewide clinics promoting
personal financial knowledge were conducted in eight cities:
Asheville, Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, New Bern, Raleigh,
Wilmington and Winston-Salem.
The section's
volunteer workforce was supported by an extensive promotional
campaign and a host of partnering organizations that participated
in the event, including Legal Aid of North Carolina and Consumer
Credit Counseling Services offices throughout the state.
Bankruptcy, estate planning, tax and legal aid lawyers well versed
in financial issues provided free legal information and as well as
information about consumer rights and debt relief options. CPAs and
other financial professionals also offered free information and
educational materials.
The Foreclosure
Prevention office assisted those in foreclosure and CCCS offered
information on budgeting, credit empowerment and debt counseling.
Other participating organizations included the N.C. Association of
CPAs, the N.C. Housing Finance Agency's office of Foreclosure
Prevention, the FDIC, the N.C. Institute for Minority Economic
Development, State Employees Credit Union, the Center for
Responsible Lending, The North Carolina Treasurer's Office, State
Farm Insurance, NC Secretary of State's Investor Education Office,
the Center for Responsible Lending, Wells Fargo/Wachovia and
many others.
The program would
not have been possible without the involvement of all of the
participating organizations and their representatives who gave of
their time and talents on what turned out to be a beautiful spring
Saturday.
Another vital
contribution was provided by the hosts of each site:
- Asheville -
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County;
- Charlotte -
Johnson C. Smith University;
- Durham - Center
for Responsible Lending;
- Greensboro -
Center City Park;
- New Bern -
Garber United Methodist Church;
- Raleigh -
Alexander YMCA;
- Wilmington -
Self Help Credit Union; and
- Winston-Salem -
Forsyth Medical Center Conference Center.
Serving as site chairs were: Sara Davis (Asheville), Matt McKee
(Charlotte), Ed Boltz (Durham), Robyn Whitman (Greensboro), George
Oliver and Allen Murphy (New Bern), Victoria Wright (Raleigh),
Meredith Ezzell (Wilmington) and Ashley Rusher
(Winston-Salem).
Lead staff support on behalf of the NCBA was provided by Julie
Fink, assistant director of section and division
activities who serves as staff liaison to the Bankruptcy
Section.
Do you know of an attorney or law firm that has been active in the community or has made significant charitable contributions? The outreach section of the NCBA website is designed to highlight these efforts. Contact Amber Smith, Assistant Director of Communications for Community Outreach and Social Media for the NCBA, at asmith@ncbar.org.