March - April 2025 Newsletter

MARCH - APRIL

2025

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

ID Clinic Helps Older Adults Secure Identification

On February 27^th, Legal Services’ Consumer Law Program, in partnership with St. Francis Xavier College Church, hosted its first-ever ID Clinic for older adults (60+) in St. Louis City. The event was a success, with eight individuals attending in person and three others referred to the Church for future services.

For many older adults, an ID is key to housing, healthcare and travel. However, several clinic attendees faced significant hurdles, including missing or incorrect birth certificates.

Two participants, for example, needed assistance correcting mistakes on their birth certificates that prevented them from getting Real IDs. Others required financial assistance to obtain certified copies of their documents.

“Stricter documentation requirements to get an ID can impact older adults who have errors or a mismatch in their documents,” explained Victoria St. Jean, Staff Attorney with the Consumer Law Program. “Without proper identification, older adults face barriers to accessing services, housing, and other benefits.”

She added, “Clinics are an important tool to both provide direct assistance to folks and inform participants about ID requirements so they can share what they learn with their community.”

With support from the St. Louis City Senior Fund, the collaboration with St. Francis Xavier College Church provided not only legal and logistical guidance but also financial support for necessary documents.

One participant called Legal Services to share his gratitude: “I attended the ID clinic yesterday, and I simply wanted to call and thank Miss Victoria and everyone else that helped me. It kept me from being turned away at the airport, which I wouldn't have known would have happened without you guys.”

This was the Consumer Law Program’s first ID clinic, but it likely won’t be the last. St. Jean said Legal Services hopes to work with St. Francis Xavier College Church to expand outreach so that even more older adults can overcome identification barriers in the future.

EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS

Partnering To Prevent Violence

Legal Services’ Lasting Solutions Family Law Program provides legal representation and supportive services to help survivors leave abusive relationships. Stopping domestic violence is an essential piece of preventing violence in St. Louis. A key partner in increasing safety and stability in the area is the St. Louis City Office of Violence Prevention.

Founded in 2022 as part of an effort to address the root causes of violence in the community, the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) not only funds the important work of Lasting Solutions but also strengthens community resources through its monthly “Kickback” events held throughout the city.

Claudine Allen, OVP Program Manager, says “The OVP focuses on helping those impacted by violence and also provides youth diversion and reentry programing to prevent violence. This is how the Kickback event started in April 2023 - as a way to bring resources together in one place for neighborhoods to rally together to tackle violence in their community.”

ABOVE, L to R: Bretton DeLaria, OVP Public Information Officer, Keisha Wings & Blair Pankratz from Legal Services' Lasting Solutions team and Roderic Mitchell, OVP Program Manager, at the March 2025 OVP Kickback event.

Legal Services has been a consistent partner at the events, providing information and resources to those in need. Eldisa Ramic, a social worker on this grant, says “We meet people at their front porches, in their neighborhood parks. We are coming to them. We come with music, resources, and support to create a welcoming space. As an agency, we have seen such a difference by being present in the community.”

As the Kickback event gained momentum, it served more than 2,000 city residents in 2024, with plans to grow in 2025 through building on partnerships. Bretton DeLaria, OVP Public Information Officer, says, “The OVP Kickback event is a way to bring valuable resources into communities and, by partnering with other established events in the community, we can work together to create even more opportunities for a greater positive impact.”

Legal Services’ mission thrives through strong community partnerships, and our collaboration with OVP exemplifies how working together can create lasting positive change in our communities.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Office of Violence Prevention

CLICK HERE for details of upcoming OVP Kickback events

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

Bayer Fund Grant to support

Children's Special Education Needs

Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S., has made a $25,000 grant to Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s Children’s Legal Alliance program to fund efforts to improve educational outcomes for low-income, low-opportunity, and at-risk children in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.

This generous grant from Bayer Fund supports attorneys who help under-resourced families navigate school systems to access appropriate services for their children.

“Bayer Fund's continued funding of this project will allow Legal Services to assist children and families in our service area through direct client advocacy and community outreach that we otherwise would not be able to do due to limited resources,” said Dan Underwood, Managing Attorney of the Children’s Legal Alliance Program. “We are deeply grateful to Bayer Fund and their long-standing commitment to supporting families and empowering the next generation.”

“Throughout the years, the grants given through Bayer Fund have helped to strengthen our communities across the United States,” said Amy Simpson, Senior Manager Community Engagement at Bayer Fund. “We’re proud to support the Children’s Legal Alliance program to make a meaningful difference in ensuring children remain in school, have access to vital services, and continue their education.”

In 2024, Bayer Fund awarded more than $11.8 million to over 2,200 charities and nonprofit organizations, both urban and rural. Over the last seven years, nonprofit organizations across the U.S. have received nearly $107 million from Bayer Fund.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Legal Services' Children's Legal Alliance Program

OTHER NEWS

Introducing Jeff Bewley

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri is excited to welcome Jeff Bewley as our new Donor Relations Specialist.

Jeff brings over 30 years of experience in fundraising and development, with a strong background in major gift solicitation, donor stewardship, and strategic planning. He has held leadership roles at organizations such as St. Louis Public Radio, where he played a key role in strengthening donor engagement and growing philanthropic support.

Jeff is passionate about fostering authentic connections with donors and advancing causes that promote fairness and opportunity. Outside of work, he is an active member of Eliot Unitarian Chapel and serves on the board of Union Avenue Opera. He also enjoys playing pickleball and cycling along Grant's Trail.

He looks forward to working with the Legal Services community to support our mission of providing vital legal assistance to those in need. If you would like to connect with Jeff, please email him at jlbewley@lsem.org

Celebrating Service

In January, Legal Services celebrated the accomplishments of staff celebrating milestone years of service with the organization.

Celebrating 25 years of service were Jon Althauser, Mary Anthony & Jennifer Heggemann. Celebrating 20 years of service was Brenda Kuelker. Celebrating 15 years of service were Rhonda Campbell & Jeanne Philips-Roth. Celebrating 10 years of service were Laura Halfmann-Morris & Jamie Rodriguez, and celebrating 5 years of service were Jennifer Agles, Beena Bryant, Jennifer Darrough, Brittany Hubbard, Irma Ramic & Rachel Waterman.

ABOVE: Pictured Left to Right are: Jennifer Darrough, Rhonda Campbell, Laura Halfmann-Morris, Mary Anthony, Jennifer Heggemann, Beena Bryant, Jeanne Philips-Roth, Jamie Rodriguez, Irma Ramic, Jennifer Agles and Brittany Hubbard. Not pictured are Jon Althauser, Brenda Kuelker and Rachel Waterman.

Continuing the Legacy of Judge Teitelman

On February 27, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, along with Briar Meads Capital, hosted a special reception to dedicate the 15th floor conference room as the Hon. Richard B. Teitelman Access to Justice Conference Room, in honor of his legacy of service to the community.

Seth Berkowitz, Managing Director of Briar Meads Capital, which owns the Peabody Plaza building, was raised with Judge Teitelman as a close family friend, and has fond memories of 'Uncle Rick'. “Briar Meads is honored to dedicate this space in the name and legacy of Judge Teitelman. We hope this space will stand as a testament to his work, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, and the important values it has dedicated its mission towards," said Berkowitz.

"Judge Teitelman’s influence has left an indelible mark on our community. This dedication helps ensure that his passion for justice will continue to resonate within these walls," said Dan Glazier, Legal Services' Executive Director.

“His legacy continues to inspire us, reminding us of the profound impact one person can have in the fight for equal access to justice," he added.