Dear EBCLC Friends and Supporters,

I am delighted to share this special edition of our quarterly eNewsletter, which is devoted to the launch of our "Building for Justice" Campaign.

I know that many of you are preoccupied - as we are at EBCLC - with doing what you can to relieve suffering and address the many other dimensions of the disaster in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina laid bare not only the physical vulnerability of our coastlines and major cities, but also the unfinished agenda for racial and economic equality in our country.

While the road ahead will be challenging, we can take some comfort that we are on the forefront of efforts to advance justice and expand opportunity in our communities.

To that end, I hope you will join us at our building campaign kick-off on Saturday, October 15th in Berkeley (invitations to the event with more details will be mailed shortly). I am pleased to report that U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and the Honorable Ronald V. Dellums will serve as honorary co-hosts of the event.

View the Kick-Off Event Save-the-Date Information.

After years of planning, we have undertaken a $3.25 million campaign to acquire and renovate a new home six blocks from our present site. The new building will allow EBCLC to expand services to clients and students.

Since EBCLC's founding in 1988, we have rented space on the Berkeley-Oakland border, an ideal location for law students and clients. However, with steady program growth over the years — from a staff of three to a staff of 20, and from a handful of law students to more than 100 per year — we have long since outgrown the available space at our site.

Acquiring a permanent home will increase EBCLC's long-term stability and security.

View the Building Campaign Statement.

EBCLC is under contract to acquire a building that is 40% larger than our current rental space. The new building was constructed in 1989. It has a beautiful open floor plan, high ceilings and abundant natural light, which will allow for design to improve the services to clients and enhance the educational experience for students.

Of critical importance, the site will maintain our convenient access to clients and students.

View the Building Floor Plan.

EBCLC has been blessed since its founding with deep and broad community support, and we have assembled an exceptional group of local leaders to advise the Building Campaign. Prominent elected officials, philanthropists, law firm representatives, EBCLC founders and other supporters have lent their good names to this exciting effort.

View the Building Campaign Honorary Committee.

In addition, we are establishing an Alumni Committee to help ensure the success of the campaign. More than 750 law students have participated in the EBCLC clinic, with many hundreds of others working in EBCLC-affiliated programs.

If you would like to assist with the Alumni Committee, please contact EBCLC Development Director Jonathon Marley at Marley@ebclc.org.

In order to purchase this building, we are seeking one-time investments from all sectors of our donor community, including individuals, law firms, corporations and foundations.

The site, with relatively minor renovation and build-out, will cost approximately $2.25 million. Our campaign goal is to raise $3.25 million, which includes a $1 million Building Maintenance Fund to cover annual expenses.

During the "quiet" phase of the campaign, we have received pledges in excess of $2 million, including $1 million from Boalt Hall earmarked for the Building Maintenance Fund. During the public launch this fall, we will need to leverage the early investments to raise the remaining $1.25 million.

We will also be asking donors to maintain their annual operating support for the duration of the campaign to ensure that we continue to provide high-quality legal services to clients and first-rate clinical education to law students!

View the Building Campaign Lead Donors.

A core value of our society is equal access to justice. The complex nature of the legal system limits equal access, especially for people in poverty and those faced with language and cultural barriers. Well-trained legal advocates should be available to all people, regardless of economic status. To that end, EBCLC provides:

• hands-on clinical education to law students to make these future lawyers aware of and skilled in addressing the needs of indigent communities; and
• desperately-needed legal services to the low-income community in the areas of housing, welfare, HIV/AIDS, homelessness and community economic development.

Since its founding in 1988 by law students at UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, EBCLC has become the largest provider of free legal services in the East Bay and a nationally-recognized poverty law clinic.

EBCLC's work makes the lives of East Bay community members more healthy, secure, productive, and hopeful.

In order to improve our ability to communicate with EBCLC alums and friends, please send address changes, news, or updates to EBCLC Development Associate Michelle Shin.

Back issues of the EBCLC newsletters can be found at www.ebclc.org.

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