NC Justice Center Annual Report 2009

2009 ANNUAL REPORT NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER • OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL • 224 S. DAWSON STREET • P.O. BOX 28068 • RALEIGH, NC 27611 • WWW.NCJUSTICE.ORG Opportunity and Prosperity for All

CONTENTS 2

Mission and Overview 2

Letter from the Board of Directors 4

Letter from the Executive Director 5

The State Budget 6

Education 8

Health Care 10

Consumer Protections and Housing 12

Support for Working Families 13

Immigrants’ Rights 14

Communications 16

Support for Our Work 18

2009 Defenders of Justice Awards 20

2009 ANNUAL REPORT 1 THE JUSTICE CENTER is the state’s leading fair treatment it needs in order to enjoy researchers, attorneys, policy advocates, and research and advocacy organization dedicated economic security. other dedicated professionals. to transforming North Carolina’s prosperity into The Center was founded in 1996 through the Our unique approach to advocacy has helped opportunity for all. merger of two former Legal Services the Justice Center to be extraordinarily Our mission is to eliminate poverty in North organizations. Today, our staff is nearly 50 successful in changing policies in North Carolina Carolina by ensuring that every household in the people strong and includes community to improve the lives of working families. We use state has access to the resources, services and educators, communications specialists, five interconnected strategies in our work:

1 Public Policy Advocacy - Our advocates work with policymakers to secure laws and policies that improve the lives of low- and moderate- income families and to oppose policies that would take the state backward.

2 Research - Our experts analyze policies and 3 Community Outreach - Our educators build challenges that impact low-income North relationships with groups and individuals at the Carolinians, identify strategies for improvement, community level and pursue a two-way process and publish their findings in an array of well- of education and empowerment. respected reports and issue briefs.

4 Litigation - Our attorneys take on high- impact cases designed to protect and expand the rights of low-income groups and individuals, including immigrants.

5 Communications - Our writers and media experts generate commentaries and publications 2 designed to shape public opinion. Public investments in A fair and stable revenue services and programs that system that adequately expand and enhance funds public investments opportunities for economic while fairly distributing tax security responsibility

Housing that is safe and Fair treatment for affordable everyone in North Carolina – regardless of race, ethnicity, or country of origin To make opportunity and prosperity for all a reality, we work toward: Consumer protections Public education that that shield hard-earned opens a world of assets from abusive opportunity to every child practices

Jobs that are safe, pay a Health care that is living wage, and provide accessible and affordable health coverage and other benefits There was nothing easy about 2009. Throughout North Carolina, workers lost their jobs, North Carolina Justice Center families lost their homes, and many of us lost some of our sense of security as the nation BOARD OF DIRECTORS: struggled through the worst recession in a generation.

Co-chairs: A financial crisis that puts the global economy on the brink of collapse can easily push North Carolina’s low-income families over the edge. In such dire situations, it is the safety net of Jean Cary public programs that protects families from ruin. Raquel Lynch But in these tight budget times, many legislators sought to shred that safety net in the name of cutting costs. That is when we all realize how important the work of the North Carolina Justice Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II Center is. Without the Justice Center’s advocacy – at the General Assembly, in our Asa L. Bell, Jr. communities, at the courthouse and in the media – many North Carolina families would be Dhamian A. Blue without the services and programs upon which they depend, and many more workers would be Anita Brown-Graham unemployed. We are honored to be affiliated with an organization that, in 2009, worked with dozens of partner groups to prevent budget cuts that would have devastated people with Christopher T. Graebe disabilities, helped homeowners avoid foreclosure, ensured children were not denied their right Richard Hooker, Jr. to an adequate education, and rallied thousands of people in support of health-care reform. Fiorella Horna-Guerra Kenneth Jerald Jones Just as it is hard to overstate the importance of the Justice Center’s work, it is also impossible to stress too strongly the need for your financial support. Foundation and individual giving are Gene Nichol down for virtually every non-profit in the country, and the Justice Center is certainly not immune Dr. Gregory Moss, Sr. to this side-effect of the recession. The gifts of individuals concerned with the welfare of their Orage Quarles, III neighbors and their state have never been more necessary. Rev. J. George Reed Please contribute to the North Carolina Justice Center in 2010. Your donations will help the Geraldine Sumter center’s staff protect North Carolina’s most vulnerable residents and continue the fight for opportunity and prosperity for all.

Sincerely, Jean Cary Raquel Lynch Co-Chair, Board of Directors Co-Chair, Board of Directors

4 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l Letter from the Board of Directors Despite many years of experience with the Justice Center as a partner and as its executive director, I am still amazed sometimes at the impact this organization has on the lives of families throughout North Carolina.

As you read this 2009 annual report, you will see how our talented and diverse staff worked to protect vulnerable North Carolinians while expanding opportunity for the state’s working families. All of these successes were possible only because of the credibility and reputation for integrity that the Justice Center has established over the past 14 years. We built up that clout by getting the research right, knowing the law, and staying committed to our mission to eliminate poverty in North Carolina – year after year after year.

In 2010, we will build upon our efforts and victories of the past. Thanks to our long-standing and aggressive advocacy for the creation of a school funding system that better serves low-income and minority students, the state legislature has made sure to include us in the process of reworking that system. We will also be heavily involved with the effort to reform and modernize the state’s revenue system – again, an endeavor for which we have long advocated and which many legislators would not consider undertaking without the input of our experts. Our lobbying efforts in the early part of the decade helped to drive payday lenders out of the state. This coming year, we hope to get a new ruling in our lawsuit to recoup for consumers the illegally high fees charged by payday lenders, a case which has already established new precedents that protect North Carolina consumers.

These long-term efforts are what make the Justice Center so effective. The relationships and expertise our staff have built enable us to secure the changes necessary to improve the lives of low- and moderate-income North Carolinians.

Your financial contribution is also necessary. It is during tough economic times that the need for a powerful voice to champion the rights and interests of working families and vulnerable individuals is greatest. They need us, and we need your support.

With warm regards,

Melinda Lawrence, Executive Director

Letter from the Executive Director l 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 5 The State Budget

Because of the recession, North Carolina suffered an historic drop in tax revenues, resulting in a $4.6 billion budget shortfall – a whopping 20% of state spending. Many state leaders declared they would not even consider raising new revenue and instead proposed drastic cuts to schools, health and wellness programs, and services for the elderly and the disabled.

At the Justice Center, we focused the considerable skills In 2009, the economy fell into of our staff on protecting the vital services many North deep recession, unemployment Carolinians depend on to stay in their homes, provide for their families and maintain a decent quality of life. Our soared, and hundreds of organizers brought together leaders from non-profit thousands of North Carolina advocacy groups and service providers to form the families struggled to keep their Together NC coalition, which worked aggressively to convince lawmakers to take a balanced approach to the homes and feed their children. It is fiscal crisis (See Spotlight). Our researchers with the at times like these, when the need Budget & Tax Center analyzed revenue proposals, and legislative leaders called on them for explanations of how is greatest, that the work of the those proposals would impact the state’s most vulnerable North Carolina Justice Center has citizens. Our communications specialists developed common messages for all Together NC members to use, the greatest impact. pushed that message with the media and created newspaper advertisements to influence lawmakers. Our Here are some examples of the legislative advocates worked with state leaders to craft a successes we had in 2009. proposal that would raise new revenue and protect the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

In the end, state legislators took a responsible approach to the fiscal crisis, closing about half of the budget gap with new funds and federal stimulus money, thus preventing the most devastating cuts that were under consideration. The Justice Center’s advocacy efforts also helped protect the planned increase in the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which goes up to 5% of the federal credit this tax season and puts money in the pockets of more than 820,000 North Carolina workers.

6 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l The State Budget SPOTLIGHT: Together NC

At the beginning of 2009, the Justice Center, than 2,500 North Carolinians about the need in partnership with the Covenant with North for a balanced approach to solving the state's Carolina’s Children, organized Together NC, a fiscal crisis. A little more than one-third of the broad-based coalition that called on state people contacted agreed to be patched leaders to maintain and build on the public through to their legislators’ offices to make investments that support the fabric of North personal appeals. Carolina’s communities. As the year progressed and lawmakers threatened to All of these efforts had a significant impact balance the budget by gutting education, on the budget process. Listening to their health care, and other core investments, constituents, House leaders backed off their more than 100 organizations joined Together stance against raising new revenues and NC, creating a powerful voice that instead took a balanced approach to creating significantly influenced the budget process. the budget. To provide support for their decision, Together NC placed advertisements, Together NC held simultaneous rallies in written and designed by Justice Center staff, Raleigh and Asheville to influence the NC in several small and mid-sized newspapers House’s budget process that attracted more around the state thanking lawmakers. than 600 people. The coalition also held 10 town-hall meetings around the state The final budget, while not perfect, is featuring staff from the Budget & Tax Center dramatically better than the proposals some providing updates on the state’s fiscal legislative leaders were pushing, and much of situation. We videotaped attendees telling their change of heart can be credited to the their stories about how proposed cuts would efforts of Together NC. impact their lives, and legislators received copies of the most compelling stories.

Together NC also got the public involved in the budget debate. Through several phone- banking sessions, volunteers talked to more

2009 ANNUAL REPORT 7 Education

North Carolina law requires schools to assist students clarifies the rights of at-risk students. The Justice strong advocacy for public education secured us a role at risk of academic failure by creating and Center will continue to monitor the use—or lack in the creation of new school funding formulas for the implementing Personal Education Plans (PEPs), which thereof—of PEPs throughout North Carolina and state. The legislative committee considering how to outline specific interventions to help these students advocate for students who have been denied this revamp the formulas, which currently fail to allocate catch up and to boost their academic performance. important tool for academic success. adequate money to struggling schools, has named the However, the parents with whom we work told us that Justice Center as one of the organizations to be PEPs were not being developed for their children or, We convinced legislators not to cut special funds that consulted during the process. Because changes to the when developed, were not being implemented. The provide money to help educate disadvantaged funding formulas may significantly impact struggling Justice Center worked with other education advocates students, students with disabilities, and students in schools, the outreach staff of our Education and Law to create and push for a new law that expands and low-wealth communities. In addition, our history of Project spent much of 2009 informing parents and

8 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER community groups about the current school funding formulas and the committee’s work. We now have hundreds of people we can call on to influence this reform process when the time comes.

Staff of the Education and Law Project also conducted more than 30 trainings in 2009, hitting 15 counties and reaching more than 300 parents and community members. The trainings covered many education topics, including school funding, dropout prevention,

student discipline, alternative learning programs, When North Carolina’s nationally recognized More and protections for students with disabilities. Most At Four Program was in jeopardy, our research importantly, these efforts empowered participants team produced a report explaining how this pre- to be activists in their communities by giving them kindergarten education effort, which targets at-risk information about students’ education rights and four-year olds, had improved the academic advocacy techniques. outcomes of children who participated. The information helped to persuade lawmakers to The Justice Center also has joined the effort to scrap plans to cut More At Four, and as the state prevent the resegregration of Wake County faces another difficult budget year, we will be at schools. We are a member of the Great Schools in the legislature working to protect funding for this Wake coalition, which opposes the efforts of the important program. newly elected school-board majority to end the county’s policies promoting socioeconomic diversity in schools. We provided legal research and communications support to the coalition, and we will continue to fight to protect Wake’s diversity policies.

Education l 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 9 Health Care

As an important swing state, North Carolina garnered attention from dozens of national organizations on both sides of the health reform debate. Despite the heightened noise level, the voice of the Justice Center’s Health Access Coalition (HAC) rose above the din as an established source of reputable analysis on the impact health reform would have on North Carolinians. HAC used its considerable media presence and grassroots contacts to drive news coverage. We set up news conferences, served as commentators on health reform developments, and connected reporters with people who could tell their stories of suffering under the current health care system.

In addition, we organized rallies in Asheville, Raleigh, Charlotte and Greenville. The rally in Raleigh attracted nearly 1,000 attendees and was covered both by local media and larger outlets such as England’s Guardian newspaper. Staff also organized nine major community meetings across North Carolina on health care reform, several of which drew considerable attendance and were covered in the local media.

As a respected source of information, HAC staff appeared frequently with members of the state legislature and SPOTLIGHT: Blue Cross Blue Shield’s effo Congress. We presented with U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield in Rocky Mount and U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge in Lillington, and we helped to organize a Durham town-hall meeting with The Justice Center’s NC Health Access U.S. Rep. David Price. In addition, we did presentations with Coalition makes powerful use of new media, state legislators in Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, particularly blogs. In 2009, HAC staff posted Henderson, Warrenton, Ahoskie, Windsor and Raleigh. 34 short videos on national health reform to Partnering with NC Policy Watch, HAC also attracted media attention by hosting two “Crucial Conversation” luncheons NC Policy Watch’s popular blog. Some of – one with U.S. Rep. Brad Miller and another with those videos included personal stories and insurance industry whistleblower Wendell Potter. interviews with small-business owners, and Our research team produced a report on the levels of five videos exceeded 500 views, putting them treatment patients receive in different North Carolina in the top 50 percent of most-watched videos cities. We found that communities have widely different on YouTube. treatment rates that could only be explained by the preferences and decisions of physicians. The study encouraged lawmakers to study these variations and educate physicians in order to reduce health-care costs. rts against health reform

HAC also produced more than 220 blog posts HAC also blogged about BCBSNC’s anti- and throughout North Carolina BCBSNC on national health reform, several of which health reform robocalls and mailers. Those customers started fighting back. They altered became national stories. For example, HAC mailers to consumers included a postcard the pre-paid mailer to urge Senator Hagan to staff discovered that Blue Cross and Blue they could send to Senator Kay Hagan asking support reform, and some of them sent us Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) planned to her to oppose “government-run insurance.” pictures of the improved mailers so we could launch a series of internet ads to discredit Staff’s posts pointing out that BCBSNC, a post them online. The effort empowered health reform proposals. We publicized the non-profit that raises its premiums annually, members of the public and focused attention plans, and mainstream media and many was using its customers’ money to try to stop on BCBSNC’s questionable practices. national blogs picked up the story, prompting health reform, caught the attention of people BCBSNC to cancel the ads. around the country. National progressive blogs picked up the story about the mailers,

Health Care l 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 11 Consumer Protections & Housing

This year, Justice Center advocates successfully evictions, increases penalties for improper handling secured a bill to protect North Carolina consumers of tenants’ security deposits, and requires local from debt buyers who act unethically and often governments to first order landlords to make repairs illegally. Such debt buyers pay pennies on the dollar instead of removing tenants when housing code for the right to old debt – in some cases debt that violations are found. Another law clarified and made has been paid off or which is no longer valid North Carolina’s fair housing laws consistent with because the statute of limitations has passed. They federal law in regards to the right to reasonable often target low-income families who can’t afford a accommodations and modifications for people with lawyer to fight a claim, even if it is bogus. The new disabilities, and yet a third new law will prohibit local law, the Consumer Economic Protection Act of governments from using their land-use and 2009, imposes numerous requirements on debt permitting authority to discriminate against housing buyers, such as having valid documentation of the developments just because they include affordable debt, and increases the penalties for the most units for low-income families. egregious practices. In addition, we stood up for housing rights in the We also supported a bill to help families who lost courts. We are challenging foreclosures and working their homes to foreclosure but were required to to establish the legal precedent that giving a continue paying on their mortgages. These consumer a loan he clearly cannot afford is a “deficiency judgments” can put a crippling financial violation of North Carolina’s unfair trade practices burden on a family who is already struggling. A new statute. law championed by the Justice Center abolished certain deficiency judgments, freeing families to Lastly, we succeeded in protecting two important rebuild their lives and finances. programs from funding cuts: the Housing Trust Fund, which finances the construction and rehabilitation of The Justice Center also secured legislation that affordable housing, and the Home Protection creates statewide standards for rental housing, Program, which helps laid-off workers keep their limits and regulates the fees landlords charge for homes while they retrain or look for work.

12 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l Consumer and Housing contract. The Justice Center filed a number of lawsuits on behalf of workers who were victims of this practice, such as the case of a moving company that didn’t pay workers for all of their time and made improper deductions from paychecks. These litigation efforts will continue in 2010.

In 2009, the Justice Center launched the NC Second Support for Working Families Chance Alliance, a coalition to support policies that reduce barriers facing ex-offenders. Thanks in part to the alliance’s efforts, the legislature created a North Carolina is laying the groundwork for more changes to state law that ensure North Carolina Study Commission on Prisoner Re-entry, which will public transportation, and the Justice Center is receives more than $200 million from the federal look at how the state can “address barriers facing ex- working to ensure the needs of working families are government for modernizing its unemployment offenders in accessing jobs, housing, education, central to the planning process. A coalition of insurance system. In addition, we assisted in training and services” and reduce recidivism. We environmental and social justice groups, organized securing passage of the federal extension of also worked with the attorney general’s staff and the by the Justice Center, successfully pushed for unemployment insurance, which increased the governor’s office to create a task force of faith-based legislative provisions that ensure there will be number of weeks laid-off workers were eligible for organizations, non-profits, businesses and affordable housing near transit stops and that low- benefits. Justice Center staff persuaded Governor government agencies to develop a plan to combat wealth communities have access to the new trains Perdue to send a letter of support to Congress, and recidivism and reintegrate ex-offenders into and buses. we contacted relevant members of Congress in communities. And we were instrumental in getting support of this legislation. In this year when so many working families were state officials to bring to North Carolina the Council of struggling, the Justice Center worked at both the This year, the Justice Center received an increased State Government’s Justice Reinvestment Project, federal and state levels to make unemployment number of reports of “wage theft”—the failure of which will assist the state in finding ways to reduce insurance more available. We secured technical employers to pay wages as required by law or corrections spending and recidivism.

Support for Working Families l 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 13 Immigrants’ Rights

Protecting the rights of immigrants is the mission Because society marginalizes many immigrants, changes to ensure that qualified immigrants – of the Justice Center’s Immigrants Legal they are often targets of abuse and scams. We children and pregnant women – have access to Assistance Project and Eastern Carolina filed numerous lawsuits in response to such the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Immigrants’ Rights Project. In 2009, we prevented abuse, including a class action case with Women, Infants, and Children (better known as more than 20 deportations and obtained legal potentially 400 plaintiffs against two notaries who WIC). status for more than 240 people. We also practiced immigration law without licenses. We educated nearly 1400 immigrant farmworkers also helped immigrants who were improperly We continue to address the needs of many about their legal rights during outreach visits to turned away from public programs and services, immigrants across North Carolina who report their camps. and we worked with the state Department of being harassed and detained under the 287(g) Health and Human Services to secure policy program, which allows local law enforcement

14 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l Immigrants’ Rights agencies to enforce immigration law. This year, we participated in and planned various events around the state to call attention to the reality of racial profiling, discriminatory traffic checkpoints and diminished community safety that have resulted from 287(g).

2009 ANNUAL REPORT 15 Communications

Thanks to our communications team, the Justice We launched two new printed publications targeted Center and its staff appeared in some 200 distinct at lawmakers in 2009 – the Legislative Bulletin, media outlets all over North Carolina and a few produced by Justice Center staff, and the Weekly outside the state in 2009. We placed about 380 Briefing, produced by Policy Watch. Both stories in the media – and that doesn’t include publications educate members of the state regularly scheduled media appearances such as legislature about important policy issues currently Chris Fitzsimon’s daily commentary and weekly before them. show on WRAL radio, Elaine Mejia’s weekly commentary on State Government Radio, or Chris’s Regular email publications from the Justice Center and Elaine’s appearances on WRAL-TV’s NC Spin. included NC Justice News, an e-newsletter on the During the height of the state budget debate, the latest developments in all of the many issues we Justice Center averaged nearly five stories in the work on; The Week Ahead, which promotes media every day. upcoming newsworthy events from numerous progressive policy groups; and From the Ground Up, The Justice Center and NC Policy Watch, an our e-newsletter on education policy. In addition, independent project of the Justice Center, have each quarter we printed 45,000 copies of taken the lead in the effort to educate the people of Community News, which highlighted the Justice North Carolina about the need for public Center’s policy work and the activities of community investments – and policymakers, reporters and the activists from other organizations working on behalf state’s political networks have taken notice. Policy of low-income North Carolinians. The News & Watch’s blog, Progressive Pulse, gets up to 13,000 Observer of Raleigh inserted 42,000 copies of hits in a month. Traffic to Policy Watch’s website was Community News right into its papers distributed in up dramatically in 2009, with more than 78,000 parts of Durham, Raleigh, Smithfield, Selma, Kenly, unique users and 1,300,000 page views. The site Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The rest of the copies features daily pieces on policy issues and weekly went to local libraries, cafes, and legal aid offices analysis countering the rhetoric of the right, as well throughout the state, or with staff members who as columns from our progressive partner distributed them at meetings and events. organizations.

16 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l Communications 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 17 Support for Our Work

Like families, businesses and non-profits across levels, and during a year that was so difficult for Individual Other Contributions 2% the nation, the Justice Center tightened its belt in many of North Carolina families, our capacity to 3% 2009, trimming expenses wherever possible. We work on behalf of those families was as strong have continued our responsible management of as ever. your gifts by decreasing our non-programmatic National The continued commitment and generosity of Foundations costs from 15% in 2007 to 13% this past year. 21% For example, we reassessed our plans to move to our donors and funders has enabled us to push a larger space in order to accommodate our forward with our efforts to help low- and North Carolina growing staff and instead decided to stay put and moderate-income families in North Carolina. Foundations With the support of state and national 74% work with what we had. We also created a new website, which not only works better than the old foundations, as well as hundreds of individual one but actually slashed our monthly costs. donors, we were able to meet our operating budget of $4.44 million. Thank you for looking As a result, a greater percentage of every dollar out for the working families of North Carolina and Sources of support represent 2009 pre-audited donated supports our advocacy, outreach, and enabling us to continue this important work. percentages. research activities. We maintained our staffing

North Carolina Justice Center 2009 Foundation Partners

A.J. Fletcher Foundation Economic Policy Institute National Association of State Fiscal Analysis Initiative Adrian Dominican - Ministry Education Foundation of Consumer Advocates The Warner Foundation Trust Fund America North Carolina State Bar Powell Fellowship, University of Annie E. Casey Foundation Equal Justice Works IOLTA program Virginia School of Law Center for Economic & Policy Ford Foundation Public Welfare Foundation Working Poor Families Project, Research John Rex Endowment Robert Wood Johnson managed by Brandon Roberts Center on Budget & Policy Foundation + Associates on behalf of the John S. & James L. Knight funding foundations Priorities Foundation Share Our Strength Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Mary Reynolds Babcock Sisters of Mercy of North Community Catalyst, Inc. Foundation Carolina Foundation Inc.

18 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l Support for Our Work 2009 North Carolina Justice Center Honor Roll

GENERAL OPERATING Jean Cary and George Augustine Gomes John R. Keller Slater Newman John W. Shaw Laura Svetkey SUPPORT Danser Marina R. Gonzalez David H. Kiel Gene Nichol Linda Shaw Cris and Guia Villapando John M. Aberman Deborah J. Cassidy Roger Gorham Edwin King Jan Nichols Anonymous Cynthia Aziz von der Embse Alba C. Abrego Raquel Castillo Rios Chris Graebe A. Larkin Kirkman Donald M. Nonini Nancy Shoemaker Margaret Wainwright Allen Adams Kyle Chenet Harriet and Larry Grand Laura Klauke Marie B. Novello William Simpson Joan Walsh Marla Adams Chilove Chery Grassroots Leadership, Inc. Hal and Ellie Lamb OpenSource Leadership Jane Smith Marvin and Pat Warner Ala Guil Council of Church Lucinda W. Chew Nancy Grebenkemper Luke Largess Strategies, Inc. Sarah Laidlaw Smith Anonymous Women United Church Women United in NC Gary Greenberg League of Women Voters Jenni Owen Lyle Snider Linda B. Weisel Patrice E. Alexander Clearscapes Terry and Bernie Grunwald Margaret Leinbach Andrew Perrin John Soltys Anne and Bill Werdel Betsy Alexander Jenifer Clement Mary G. Hammond Monica and Tomas Leon Sylvia S. Pinyan Allen Spalt Judith West Jorge L. Alvarez Louise Mary Clifford Nahomi and Jon Harkavy Patricia Levi Daniel H. Pollitt Katherine Sparrow and Charles W. West Jr. Patricia Amend Carolyn Cobb Richard J. Harkrader Georgia J. Lewis Diane and Mark Pozefsky Donald Tyson Anonymous Shel Anderson Howard M. Cohen Thomas L. Harmon Jr. Evan Lewis Homer E. Price Jr. Stanley B. Sprague Susan Yarger Birmingham Jewish Community United Church of Jerome C. Hay and Judith C. Joan Lipsitz Yvonne Pugh Anonymous Larry Yarger Foundation Christ Beck Richard Logan David Puryear Tom Stern and Tema Okun Brenda Hernandez Andrade Ruth Cook Joy Vermillion Heinsohn Albert M. Lyles Thomas Arcury and Sara A. Mark Sternlicht GIFTS IN HONOR Mary Andrades Ken and Cynthia Crossen Charles Hensey Ricardo A. Matias Quandt Jim Stolz H. Gerald Beaver Mary Umberg Andrews Bill Current Sr. Mary Herr Pa Nderry Mbai George Reed Student Action with Catholic Charities of the Marcos Ardon Jesus Delgadillo Elena Herrera Ann McCracken Miguel Reynoso Farmerworkers Diocese of Piedmont William Austin Stephen Dovenitz Hilda A. Highfill MaryBe McMillan Walter E. Richardson Nicole Sullivan Deanery Cleta Baker Ilana Dubester and Gary Carmen Hiott Lotte and Seymour Meyerson Jerimee Richir Geraldine Sumter Attracta Kelly Nathan Bearman Phillips Barbara D. Hollingsworth Sally Migliore Rachel Rivera Svetkey - van der Horst Fund Sr. Lois MacGillivray Laura Benedict Donna Duke Andrew Holton Norma Roeder of Triangle Community Pender McElroy Harriet W. Milde Foundation Wilfredo Bermudez Steven Edelstein Ronald Howe Peggy Rogers Carlene McNulty Anonymous Mildred Swift Julia Bick Elizabeth B. Ellerbee Anonymous Anonymous Bill Rowe Charles L. Milone Jeff Tabin William and Annette Victor Farah Humble Pie Foundation Pedro Salmeron Bingham Charles Montgomery Taku Fund of Triangle Nora Lynn Finch Rebecca Inglefield John Sanders GIFTS IN MEMORY Doris Bowles Peter and Morris Community Foundation Wayne Forehand David H. Jolly Sandra F. Hoke Fund Margie Ellison Diana B. Bowman Larry Morse David T. Tayloe Jr. Andrew Foster Sarah N. Jones Nathalie G. Sato Stanley & Margaret Glazier Joan Boyle Bob Mosteller and S. Vaneada Terrell Adrienne M. Fox David A. Jones Elizabeth Gibson Evelyn Schmidt Willard Greenleaf William P. Brandon Mary Beth Tobin Ellen W. Gerber and Pearl William Joslin Elizabeth Mueller Andrew Schwaba Andrew Pugh Sally Buckner Berlin Pamela J. Trent Annette Jurgelski Noemi L. Nambo Michael Schwalbe Denison Ray Jane Bultman Dalldorf Susan D. Gilbertson Unitarian Universalist Freya Kamel NC Community Shares Lorisa Seibel Fellowship of Raleigh Tom K. Rogers, Jr. Joe Burton Richard Giroux Keith Karlsson Network for Good Ann Seng Charles Van Der Horst and Paul D. Carrington Rick Glazier Lena and James Sessoms

NC Health Access Coalition Members and Supporters Leslie Boyd William Franklin June M. Kimmel Society Peggy Novotny Pamela J. Trent Evelin Brinich Gibson Gray Henry and Betty Landsberger National Association of Social Alexandra O'Connor Anonymous Nancy F. Brown Nancy Grebenkemper March of Dimes Workers-NC Chapter Donald Searing Daina Delgado David H. Jolly National Multiple Sclerosis NC Psychological Association Carolyn Sexton

2009 ANNUAL REPORT 19 2009 Defenders of Justice Award Recipients and Sponsors

The Justice Center would like to extend a special thanks to its 2009 Defenders of Justice Awards ceremony co-chairs – Barbara & Jim Goodmon, Orage & Linda Quarles, and Susan & Perry Safran. We would also like to thank our many generous sponsors: LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATIVE GRASSROOTS LITIGATION LITIGATION POLICY RESEARCH & ADVOCACY ADVOCACY ADVOCACY EMPOWERMENT John Alan Chris Olson AARP Sen. Floyd Rep. Pricey Angaza Jones McKissick, Jr. Harrison Laughinghouse Corporate Sponsor: PLATINUM

Individual Sponsors: PLATINUM In-kind Sponsor: PLATINUM The Josephus Daniels Fund Perry & Susan Safran Corporate Sponsors: GOLD

Individual Sponsors: SILVER Elizabeth Craven & Michael Warner In-kind Sponsor: GOLD Corporate Sponsors: SILVER

Individual Sponsors: BRONZE

Jay Butler & Grace Horton Travis & Avry Evans Payne Mary Braxton Jean Cary & Joseph & Jane Pinsky and George Danser Ambassador Richard Adelman John Graybeal & James Joseph Laurie Heise Cyrus & Carolyn Orage & Linda In-kind Sponsor: BRONZE Corporate Sponsors: BRONZE Quarles Daniel & Karen King Chandler’s Florist BB&T Gottovi Melinda Lawrence Brenda J. Summers Becton, Slifkin & RBC Centura Bank Self Help & Center Chris & Susan & Greg Malhoit Haw River Wineman Bell, P.A. Romeo Wiggins for Responsible Graebe Susan Lupton & Carol Teal & Bill Lending Wilson Philanthropy Journal NC Association & Company, Richard Hooker Robert Schall L.L.P. Triangle Brewing Company of Community Triangle Auto John Parker & Paula Wolf Recyclers Carl Horton & Development Debra Tyler- Easter Maynard Anonymous Weaver Street Market Centers

20 NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER l 2009 Defenders of Justice Awards Our Staff

BOTTOM ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Elaine Mejia, Louisa Warren, Dineira Paulino, Cristin Ruggles. SECOND ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Tana Liu-Beers, Melinda Lawrence, Hope Marasco, Jan Nichols, Kate Woomer-Deters. THIRD ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Nicole Dozier, Carol Brooke, Jill Diaz, Senseney Marshall. FOURTH ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Helena O’Connor, Diane Morris, Clermont Fraser. FIFTH ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Tom Burton, Dustin Bayard, Elise Elliott, Dani Martinez-Moore. SIXTH ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Adam Searing, Bill Rowe, Anna Fedders. TOP ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Adam Linker, Al Ripley, Chris Fitzsimon, Meg Gray Wiehe, Phyllis Nunn, Sean Kosofsky, Ajamu Dillahunt, Mary Coleman, Rob Schofield, Debra Tyler-Horton, Dan Rearick. (NOT PICTURED: Stephanie Bass, Erin Byrd, Lisa Chun, Jack Holtzman, Steve Jackson, Attracta Kelly, Carol McNeely, Carlene McNulty, Jessica Rocha, Jeff Shaw, Rochelle Sparko.) NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER Opportunity and Prosperity for All

224 S. Dawson Street • P.O. Box 28068 • Raleigh, NC 27611 919/856-2570 voice • 919/856-2175 fax • www.ncjustice.org • [email protected]