from staff
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s 2006 “10-Four: Injustice is Over and Out” Annual Campaign was a huge success, with donations increasing almost 46 percent from the previous year. Last year, $159,554.24 was raised, a $50,000 jump from 2005.
The goal of the “10-Four” Campaign was to increase the number of campaign donors by 10 percent each year over the course of four years. Funds are raised through the help of area attorneys and firms. In 2006, with a 32.4 percent increase in total donors, that goal was almost exceeded in the campaign’s first year.
“We are thrilled about the results, which will enable us to continue to serve the legal needs of the working poor,” said Christa Figgins, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s development director. “We attribute the campaign’s success to a combination of factors: Over the past year, JALA has had a lot of media exposure because we have been working with Tracy Sadeghian of the Media Masters Group and through public service announcements sponsored by Spohrer Wilner, P.A. that appeared on WAWS FOX 30. In addition, our Board members and supporters ramped up their efforts in this year’s Phon-a-thon by encouraging more area firms to join our JALA 100 percent participation club, and their efforts were very successful.”
The number of individual donors jumped from 272 in 2005 to 360 in 2006, which includes corporate donations, an area of fundraising JALA targets
“JALA provides such a vital role in contributing to the social stability of the First Coast community,” said Michael Figgins, JALA’s executive director. “Businesses are starting to see our value and they are beginning to respond.”
The number of attorney donors increased from 244 in 2005 to 324 in 2006, a 32 percent jump.
Nine area law firms joined the JALA 100 percent participation club, meaning each attorney in their firm made a donation, or donations were made on behalf of each attorney by the firm. This represents a 200 percent increase from 2005. Members of the 2006 JALA 100 percent participation club include: Farah & Farah, Foley & Lardner, Ford & Harrison, Liles, Gavin, Costantino & George, Kelly B. Mathis, Milton, Leach, Whitman, D’Andrea, Charek & Milton, Pajcic & Pajcic, Rogers Towers, and, Terrell Hogan.
“We are so appreciative of the generous support we have received,” said Figgins. “Although this is one of our best fundraising years ever, the reality is we still do not have enough funds to meet the public’s growing needs. With the money raised, we could hire two attorneys and a secretary, but we are still turning away 80 percent of people who come to us for help because we don’t have enough resources.”