FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

2017 Access to Justice FUND Run/Walk a Huge Success

Boise, Idaho-June 13, 2017 – The 4th Annual Access to Justice FUND Run/Walk on Saturday, June 3 was a huge success. The family friendly 5K, held at Fort Boise Park, drew more than 200 participants and raised over $8,200 for the Access to Justice Idaho Campaign. The campaign’s fundraising mission is to support the three main providers of free, civil legal services in Idaho – Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc., the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program and DisAbility Rights Idaho. Runners, walkers, and pups alike had a great time on the sunny Saturday morning, all while supporting a great cause.

While funding for these local legal service nonprofits has decreased in recent years, the need for these critical legal services is ever growing. Anna Almerico, Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program (IVLP) Director, recounts the assistance IVLP was recently able to provide:

“[Recently], a single mother was killed in a horrible automobile accident; the police officer contacted IVLP and asked if we could assist the oldest sibling, who was 22 years old, get guardianship of her five younger siblings so they could enroll in school and continue receiving medical care and assistance. A volunteer attorney helped secure this family; keeping them together a providing a sense of safety after this tragedy. Access to Justice funding makes it possible for IVLP to respond to our community and connect attorneys with the serious need for legal services that would otherwise go unmet.”

The Access to Justice FUND Run/Walk was created in 2014 as a Legacy Project stemming from the Idaho Academy of Leadership for Lawyers. Since its inaugural year, this event has raised over $22,500 for the Access to Justice Idaho campaign – funds that have continued to provide a legal safety net for Idaho’s low-income population.

For more information, contact Maureen Ryan Braley at 208-334-4500 or via email at mryanbraley@isb.idaho.gov.

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