UAW Local 2320
Supporting Tools for Justice
Feb 03, 2011

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING TOOLS FOR JUSTICE, INC.

WHEREAS, the National Organization of Legal Service Workers (NOLSW), UAW Local 2320, AFL-CIO, is an amalgamated union that represents attorneys and support staff employed by nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations through the United States; and

WHEREAS, state funding for the work of nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations has been reduced for many such organizations that employ our Brothers and Sisters, such as the thirty-three percent (33%) reduction in state funding imposed on our local units throughout the State of New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, such funding cuts have resulted in layoffs of hundreds of our Brothers and Sisters; and

WHEREAS, it has become increasingly and painfully clear that the reliance on federal and state funding to support the work of nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations is impractical, ineffective and tenuous; and

WHEREAS, it is clear that other sources of funding must be found and/or created to support the work of our Brother and Sisters employed by nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations throughout our nation; and

WHEREAS, our Sister, Brenda L. Rascher, Esquire, current Chair of the Legal Services Staff Association (LSSA) of South Jersey Legal Services, Inc., has proposed the creation of a new nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the pursuit of new and creative funding sources for all nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations; and

WHEREAS, our Sister has established such a new nonprofit incorporated under the nonprofit laws of the State of New Jersey, called "Tools For Justice, Inc." (hereafter referred to as the "Corporation"), for which 501(c) (3) tax exempt status is pending; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation has as its mission a fourfold purpose to:

1. pursue new sources of existing funding, not dependent on federal and state budgets;
2. create new sources of funding, not dependent on federal and state budgets;
3. educate the general public on local, state and national levels about the work being done by nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations and the work of the Corporation;
4. work with and encourage nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations to minimize administrative costs in order to maximize financial resources available to employ and support more attorneys and support staff to be available to fulfill the mission of such organizations; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation has already begun development of its first project to generate funding in the form of the "Book Project," in which the Corporation will collect true case stories from legal service attorneys and paralegals that will be published in a series of books written for distribution to the general public, the royalties of which will belong to the Corporation, and


WHEREAS, the Corporation intends to distribute the royalties raised through the "Book Project" to nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations throughout the United States (for example, the royalties of all books sold in a given state would be distributed to the nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations of that state); and

WHEREAS, our Sister, Brenda L. Rascher, being the Incorporator of and a member of the Board of Directors of Tools For Justice, Inc., has requested our support for the work of the Corporation, and has requested we participate in the "Book Project" as a joint cooperative project;

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that:

1. We will support the work of Tools For Justice, Inc. by assisting the Corporation in publicizing its existence and mission to our Brothers and Sisters in our local units throughout the United States as well as to our fellow union members throughout the UAW; and
2. We will participate in the "Book Project" as a joint cooperative project between NOLSW and the Corporation; and
3. We will assist the Corporation, as its partner in the "Book Project," in making contacts with our Brothers and Sisters employed by nonprofit 501(c)(3) legal service organizations throughout the United States in order to build working relationships between them; and
4. We will encourage our Brothers and Sisters to contribute their true case stories for inclusion in this unique fundraising project; and
5. We will provide such other support to the Corporation as may be needed and may be available to achieve the success of the "Book Project" as well as the success of the overall mission of Tools For Justice, Inc.
6. We will pay the $850 filing fee to the IRS for the Corporation to apply for tax-exempt status under 501(c) (3).

Adopted by the National Executive Board this 6th day of December, 2010.


Download:
toolsforjusticeinc-12-6-2010.PDF
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