$2,592

$2,592!

The one-woman-walk-a-thon to support civil legal aid for those living in poverty in Snohomish Co is now at $2,592!

Thank you, gracias, merci, danke!

I am grateful to everyone who participated thus far. At this rate, we may reach the goal of $5,000 before I reach Santiago. That would be amazing!

Talking with my friends from the Netherlands the other night, it dawned on me how unfair the system seems that people who need help with family law issues, housing legal issues, legal issues faced by senior citizens, survivors of violence and sexual assault — there is no real universal structure in our country to help those most vulnerable. Washington State residents are luckier than some others in that the State Supreme Court has the foresight to encourage county bars to create legal clinics/orgs in the early 80s. Most of those orgs are independent non-profits now (like Snohomish Co Legal Services), which means those doing this vital work must scramble for financial support alongside the food banks, shelters, and other social services. That’s why this walk-a-thon is so important.

Here are some questions I’ve been getting on the trail when I tell people about it:

Are you collecting the money?

No. Because I’m the development director and the webmaster (exactly what advanced degrees in medieval literature prepare one for), I set up the donation form on the website so that every dollar goes directly to SCLS. Absolutely nothing passes through my hands.

What will the money go towards?

The walk-a-thon proceeds are going directly into the general operating budget, which helps cover expenses not covered by public grants. Some of our staff attorneys are covered by grants; some are not. We also cover court filing fees, etc, of our clients. You are helping us keep the door open, the lights on, motions and briefs filed, and staff with us to better serve our clients.

The form looks weird on my phone.

I’m so sorry that it is wonky on mobile devices. The problem is that our cc processor does not offer responsive web forms (meaning it won’t change shape and size to fit your screen). My hope is that in the future I can find an affordable service that allows this. In the meantime, please have patience and use it on a desktop/laptop if it’s really giving you trouble. Or, you are welcome to mail a check to Snohomish County Legal Services, 2731 Wetmore Avenue #410, Everett, WA 98201. Write a little note that the donation is for the CaminoJen campaign.

What will you do with the donations if you don’t finish?

I’m finishing! Hell or high water (which I’ve seen a lot of in Navarra already), I am finishing!

Thank you so much for supporting the Steps to Support SCLS campaign!