HR0795 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0795 LRB101 20865 ECR 70712 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic will be celebrating its fifth anniversary at the Clinic's annual Spring Event on May 7, 2020; and

WHEREAS, The Clinic was founded after the City of Highland Park Human Services Task Force performed a needs assessment and identified a lack of access to legal services in the city; its purpose is to provide accessible, quality pro-bono legal services in the areas of immigration, domestic violence, and housing to give those in need of access to justice the opportunity to live productive and secure lives; and

WHEREAS, The Clinic has experienced immense growth since its inception; it served served 875 clients in 2019, compared to the 84 it served in 2015; by the end of August in 2019, it had already served more clients than it had in all of 2018; it has expanded from serving two communities in 2015 to serving ten communities throughout northern Cook County and southern Lake County in 2019; and

WHEREAS, By the end of September in 2019, the Clinic's immigration practice had handled over 315 immigration matters, compared to 290 in all of 2018; it continues to expand its immigration partnerships by offering monthly off-site clinics and hosting Know Your Rights presentations; and

WHEREAS, The Clinic recognizes domestic violence as a critical health issue and, by the end of September in 2019, had helped over 160 survivors; in October of 2019, it led a Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign that included partnering with municipalities and townships; and

WHEREAS, The Clinic continues to protect housing rights by helping tenants stay in their homes, acquire the return of wrongfully withheld security deposits, and avoid wrongful evictions; and

WHEREAS, Through its geographic expansion, fundraising efforts, educational initiatives, and outreach and advocacy, the Clinic continues to be a trusted legal resource for the low-income communities in northern Cook County and southern Lake County; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic on its fifth anniversary and commend its continued efforts to provide legal aid to those most in need; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic as an expression of our esteem and respect.