“When I had COVID, they had to put me on the ventilator,” recalled Ms. Harris. Luckily, before that happened, Ms. Harris’ mom reached out to us. “My mom said, ‘Children’s Law Center knows everything there is to know about my kids and me.’”

Children’s Law Center helped Ms. Harris’ mother secure temporary custody of her grandchildren and navigate medical care and mental health supports for the children while Ms. Harris spent weeks in the ICU fighting COVID.

Ms. Harris’ mother says that in her panic she remembered one name: Children’s Law Center. We are a trusted partner for thousands of families like the Harris Family. They know we are problem solvers.

With your support, children and families like Ms. Harris’ will be on the path to emerge from the pandemic with a stable family, good health and a quality education.

We first met Ms. Harris a decade ago when her oldest daughter was in crisis and needed intensive behavioral support. We found a facility that could meet Ms. Harris’ daughter’s needs and ensured that she kept up with her schoolwork so she could still graduate on time with her peers.

Ms. Harris remembers “Children’s Law Center was at the graduation because they know the struggle that we went through with her from day one.” Ms. Harris’ daughter is now an aide for special education students who have a special place in her heart because of her own experiences.

Your support means families like Ms. Harris’ have a trusted partner by their side and ready to answer their urgent call! I hope you'll consider making a gift this holiday season. All gifts of $250 or more will be matched dollar for dollar. Or join our Kite Club with a gift of $1,500 or more for a 2 to 1 match!

Ms. Harris turned to us again when she and her youngest children were at risk of eviction. We connected her to a housing program that ensured she could stay in her apartment while awaiting financial supports. Recently, we got her a housing voucher that guarantees long-term housing for the family. According to Ms. Harris, “without Children’s Law Center, I probably would be homeless.”

Children’s Law Center knows how to get results for families like Ms. Harris’ – we’ve reached more than 40,000 DC children and families over the past 25 years! And we’ve multiplied that impact by fighting for systemic reforms – improving the lives of hundreds of thousands more DC kids.

But we can’t do this work alone. Please make a gift to Children's Law Center so that more DC kids and families receive the support they need in 2022.

With gratitude,

Judith Sandalow

Executive Director

Learn more about Ms. Harris and her fight for her children’s health and education at: childrenslawcenter.org/harris

Thanks to Children Can’t Wait Fund donors Diana and Stephen Goldberg, The Andrew & Julie Klingenstein Family Fund, and others, eligible gifts will be matched up to a combined $150,000 through 12/31/21.

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