Jacksonville seniors are more prepared for their futures thanks to a team of volunteers who helped them create advance directive documents at Riverside Presbyterian House on April 21.
Attorney-paralegal and attorney-student teams assisted a group of seniors with preparation of end-of-life documents, including designations of health care surrogates, durable powers of attorney, designations of pre-need guardians and living wills.
The Advance Directives Pro Bono Project for Senior Citizens is a two-day event. Pro bono attorney Pat Vail visited the residents at the Department of Housing and Urban Development facility April 17 to explain the purpose and importance of various advance directives. After the presentation, seniors were given the opportunity to register for appointments to create these documents free of charge on the second day of the event, April 21.
Before attending the second day, residents individually completed questionnaires listing the names and contact information of the designees for their advance directives documents. This preparation allowed the volunteer team to get straight to work upon their arrival.
The team of volunteers included six attorneys, six paralegals, two Jacksonville Area Legal Aid staff members, and, of course, the Riverside Presbyterian House Service Coordinator, Kathy Rhoden. The Jacksonville Bar Association, JALA and the Northeast Florida Paralegal Association collaborated to make the event possible.
Pro bono attorneys on the scene included Bruce Duggar, Camelia Ruffin, Debbie Lee-Clark, Catherine Michaud, Jamica Littles and Vail.
Paralegals Gloria Alford, Michelle Ramirez, Ruth Lucas, Donna Hoffman, Valentina Chapman and Regina Colbert all served as scribes, witnesses, notaries and interviewers.
“There is wonderful spirit about this event. The seniors are served by patient, friendly professionals and we’re very grateful for their time and effort,” said Rhoden.
The Advance Directives for Senior Citizens Pro Bono Project enables the legal community to reach out to senior citizens interested in planning ahead for health failure and end-of-life decisions. Many of these local residents would not have the opportunity to meet with attorneys to create these vital legal documents outside of this volunteer event.
These pro bono volunteers serve as examples of passion and commitment to providing legal services to an underserved community in Jacksonville. Numerous opportunities exist outside of the Advance Directives Pro Bono Project for Senior Citizens for attorneys to serve low-income and other vulnerable persons.
For information pro bono projects in throughout the Fourth Judicial Circuit, contact Kathy Para at [email protected], chairperson, The Jacksonville Bar Association Pro Bono Committee.