Legal Information for Families TodayEmpowering Families To Access Justice in New York’s Family Courts

Annual Report 2014

A Letter From Our CEO

Dear Friends,Since our founding in 1996, LIFT has continued to be a pioneer and leader in promoting access to justice for those families without the resources to secure legal representation in New York Family Court. Our approach remains constant —by providing 30,000 families each year with the information and supportive services they need to wrestle with the legal challenges affecting critical family issues, LIFT instills in them the confidence to successfully advocate for themselves. We are truly inspired by the families we meet who, despite the lack of resources, consistently work hard to try to achieve the best outcomes for their children. I am honored to be the CEO of this organization and look forward to sharing our continued successes and accomplishments.

Our fiscal year 2013-2014 was a year of significant milestones for LIFT. After the relocation of our administrative office in the spring of 2013, LIFT shifted more of its services to the Family Courts and the wider community to better meet the needs of families of New York City. Through our close partnership with the Family Court, LIFT co-located all of our Family Legal Centers within the courthouses, making our services more accessible for those with the greatest need.

LIFT continues to build additional innovative partnerships to bring its award-winning programs directly to the community, reaching families before potential crises become Family Court matters. For example, our first Parenting Workshop series and Mothers Support Group, which started as a pilot program at the Ingersoll Community Center in Brooklyn in 2013, has become a model for LIFT to partner with other agencies across all five boroughs. We now run a 12-week Parenting Workshop in every borough at least once a year.

As we look ahead in anticipation of LIFT’s 20th anniversary in 2016, our Board of Directors and senior staff are developing a strategic vision to ensure that LIFT remains the foremost source of information and support for New York’s Family Court litigants.

All of this work could not have been possible without you, our dedicated supporters. Thank you for your commitment to our mission and for your ongoing support.

Warm Regards,

Sharon A. Myrie, Chief Executive Officer2

Justice for All. One Family at a Time.Mission and HistoryLaunched in 1996, Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT) is the only non-profit organization in New York City dedicated to empowering people to self-advocate in the Family Courts, where over 80% of litigants do not have a lawyer.

Our Mission is to enhance access to justice for children and families by providing legal information, community education, and compassionate guidance, while promoting system-wide reform of the courts and public agencies.

The NeedThere are 250,000 filings in NYC Family Court each year for only 56 judges to hear. Over 80% of the litigants are not represented by an attorney because their income is too high to qualify for a free court-appointed attorney and yet they can’t afford to hire one on their own. Thus, families typically carry the burden of representing themselves as they attempt to address matters fundamental to the well-being of children – custody, visitation and child support.

Without a clear understanding of their legal rights and responsibilities, families lose what little opportunity they have to secure a prompt and appropriate response to their problems. Moreover, the feelings of helplessness, alienation, and anger evoked by these conditions compound the stresses that propelled many families into Court in the first place. All of LIFT’s programs provide families with the information and guidance they need to address these challenges and secure positive outcomes for themselves and their children.

Over 80% of litigants in NY Family Court are not represented by an attorney.80%

3

46%

Father

Other

3%

5% (1,664)

22% (7,324)

16% (5,066)

25% (8,083)

26% (8,361)

42%

37%

13%

5%3%

Ethnicity/Race

6% (2,103)

45%

Mother

6%

Grandparent or other relative

Who We ServeTotal participants served in 2014

Black or African American

Latino

White

Asian

Other

Staten Island

Brooklyn

Queens

Bronx

ManhattanOutside

NYC

4

No one ever imagines that they will end up in Family Court. I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life and finding LIFT was truly G-d-sent! They walked me through the entire process and never left my side. No matter how many questions, concerns or fears I had the LIFT staff was right there. I don’t know where I would be without LIFT and I owe them everything for helping me and my son.

- Beth W.

5

As a mom, you want to protect your child,you’re responsible for another person. Without LIFT my family and I would be totally lost. They were like a friend – making me feel comfortable in a very confusing system, helping me complete my paperwork, accompanying me to court – being supportive and reassuring. I am very grateful that the LIFT staff was there to guide me through my case.

- Somaya O.

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LIFT In Action

LIFT served over 30,000 families in crisis last year.

30,000Education and Information Site in Bronx Family Courthouse

Shamika Vargas (right), LIFT Family Resource Coordinator with November 2013 Parenting Workshop graduates.

Parenting Workshop Graduation Staten Island June 2014

LIFT HotlineParenting Workshop Graduation, March 2014 at Catholic Charities Brooklyn. 7

In The Courthouse & In The Community

served at Education & Information Sites

LIFT’s Education & Information Sites are located in the Family Courts in all five boroughs of New York City. Often the first friendly face in an otherwise busy and confusing system, we provide immediate answers to urgent legal questions and assist litigants in navigating the court buildings. Our staff members possess the expertise needed to help litigants move forward. When feasible, Site Coordinators are bilingual (Spanish/English).

18,500helped on Family Law Hotlines

Family Law Hotlines are tremendously valuable resources to help individuals understand their legal rights, options, and the Family Court Process. Bilingual (Spanish/English) Hotline Associates provide information regarding family law and referrals to community-based services. The Hotlines are available via Telephone, Email, and Live Chat and answer questions from anyone, including incarcerated parents, with a NY State family law question.

13,300worked with at the Family Legal Center

LIFT operates a Family Legal Center inside the Family Courts of all five boroughs of New York City. Over periods of weeks and months, our staff meets with unrepresented litigants – proceeding in child support, custody and visitation cases – to provide individualized legal information, help fill out court documents, prepare for Family Court appearances, and accompany them to Court and/or the Office of Child Support Enforcement appointments.

1,680Short-Term Interventions Long-Term Interventions

8

In The Courthouse & In The Community

1,680benefited from our Social Service programs

Family Court matters are often interwoven with issues that are best managed through social services. LIFT’s social service referrals, workshops and support groups help our program participants meet their goals and address social and economic needs. LIFT partners with community-based organizations in all five boroughs to offer Parenting Workshops and Mothers’ Support Groups, six times a year, which provide legal and social support and resources.

140

Legal Resource Guides distributedLIFT‘s original Legal Resource Guides cover nearly 40 family law topics and are available in up to 8 different languages. These accessible guides are available on our website and are distributed by our Education and Information sites as well as correctional facilities, agencies and organizations across the city. LIFT also produces interactive guides for children and teens.

Online Legal Education ProgramLaunched in 2012, LIFT’s Online Legal Education Program offers free, online webinars on a variety of Family Court topics and is available for viewing on our website.

215,000

Educational ResourcesLong-Term Interventions

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SupportersOctober 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014

We are deeply grateful to all those who contributed to LIFT during fiscal year 2014 (October 1, 2013-September 30, 2014) and make our work possible.

Corporate, Foundation & GovernmentAdakin Capital LLCAmalgamated Lithographers of AmericaAmerican International Group, Inc.Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp.The Bernard F. & Alva B. Gimbel FoundationCellular One of East Central IllinoisCitiThe Clark FoundationCollaborative Construction ManagementCon EdisonDilworth Paxson LLPThe Educational Foundation of AmericaEdward & Ellen Roche Relief FoundationGibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLPGoldman SachsGreenberg Traurig LLPHughes Hubbard & Reed LLPJenner & BlockJerome Levy FoundationKPMGLee & Associates NYC LLCLerman Senter PLLCThe Lucius N. Littauer FoundationMcKool SmithMetzger-Price Fund, Inc.Miller, Zeiderman & Wiedekehr, LLPMorrison Foerster FoundationNew Alternatives for ChildrenThe New York Bar FoundationNew York City CouncilNew York Community TrustNew York StateThe New York Women’s FoundationNYU Community Fund

Partnership for New York CityPascale Sykes FoundationPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLPPopular Community Bank FoundationRona Jaffe FoundationSandler Search AssociatesSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPStroock & Stroock & Lavan LLPStu Loeser & Co.Venable LLPViacom Inc.Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & KatzWilson Esler Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLPThe World Wide Group

Individuals $10,000 and aboveLeslie Abbey and Stephen DietzDiane and Arthur AbbeyJonathan AbbeyAnne DelaneyFrances and Anthony DiSarroStephen McGrath and Janine ShelffoAnthony Schlesinger and Anne Forward

$2,500 to $9,999Jonathan L. BingRichard and Joanne BingOlivia Douglas and David DiDomenicoKeyes and Allison Hill-EdgarLawrence N. Lavine and Pamela S. LavineJohn McAvoyStephen McGrath, Sr.Stephen P. MooreThomas Ostrander and Kelli TurnerAyelet and Glenn PollnerRebecca Simmons

$1,000 to $2,499Hyatt BassKaija and Peter BrausMargot Bridger and Gerry PaulBeth ChartoffHolly Delany ColeJoAnne and Malcolm DavisSara and Joe DiLeoLucy Green and Mark FlanneryMichael FricklasKaren Greenstein and Sean SullivanSusannah Hunnewell WeissArthur IndurskySusan and Kenneth KramerEric LevinCelia Seigerman LevitKevin McGrath and Margie HanssensSharon A. Myrie and Jose MaldonadoMelanie and Larry NussdorfLeslie and Michael ObusSusan PlumJefrey PollockLief RosenblattDaniel and Giovanna RosenbloomSandra Krantz Samberg and Stephen MarshallGeralda and John SarrafWilliam Silverman and Karen JasonLynn VidekaDavid Wagner and Elizabeth CecilLou-Anne Walters and Ewald DeFreitasSusannah Hunnewell WeissJanice WilliamsEric WolffBarbara Brizzi Wynne and Bill WynneLaurence Zuckerman

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$500 to $999AnonymousRichard AbornLauren Aguiar and Reese MasonLiberty Aldrich and Joseph H. SaundersGregory and Carolyn BermanMichael CareyAnita Chinkes RatnerSusan Cockfield and Jean-Marie BergealHillary CohenNoam Cohen and Aviva MichaelovCheryl DaVeigaRose F. DiMartinoSusan ElmanTonya GayleJoanna GoldensteinArlene and Mark GoldsmithEric GreenwaldBarbara GroddJana HandwerkMika and Roy HaynesKyla HenriksenMichelle HenryLawrence and Cara Nash IasonAnessa KarneySeth and Deena KornblauTom and Stacy KuhnAdam Leitman BaileySusan LindenauerJosephine LongoThomas and Alison LordSteven and Brooke LucksJennifer Lynch and Edmond FitzGeraldElizabeth MacNeilDavid MannionNicole and Michael MarraChris and Amy McGrathJen MendelsohnRobert OuimetteLawrence Park

Christy PennoyerLisa PhilpMark and Jennifer RedmanJeffrey RobinsElihu RoseLauren D. RuffAbigail SchlaffNancy SchulmanMyron TrepperAndrew WardNadja WebbEric Whitney

$250 to $499Beatrice Hamza BasseyBrooke BeardsleeMelissa Beck and Andrew LeffLisa BoykinEric Brettschneider and Jeanne RostaingSally BrodyCara ChambersSandra and Alan CohenDeepa and Michael CostonCharlotte DavidsonMal DaviesJill and John DietzDenise DominguezRobert and Gilda EcroydJackie FazioQuinton FerrerJan FeuerstadtElliot FoxGilbert Gjersvik and Alison MillerDebra-Ellen GlicksteinJason A. GottliebKaren Fisher Gutheil and Robert GutheilMichael HabermanLisa HonigTamara IgelTanya M. Jaeger and Pierre de Foras

Hon. Craig JohnsonMarc KatzDavid and Harriet KaufmanMarion and Frederick KneipGeorge LenceSeth LevinCathy LipetzCaroline LundbergJessica MagaldiJohn J. McCarthyCarlos MedeirosFaith MillerGail and Marshall MillerSusan and Joel MindelRalph and Pam MorganSandra MullinStephen NordahlPauline Lynn PaiDavid PaulRobert and Barbara PickelMartha and Robert S. RubinEdward and Santa SasenaJames ShearerSteven R. ShoemateMarc Neal SimonKaren Simmons and Stuart RoseTamara and Adam SloanBeth Sosin and Ted PoretzArthur StammAmelia T.R. StarrDavid StonehillJulina TatlockEileen TaylorLucile ZimetJill M. Zuccardy

SupportersOctober 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014

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$100 to $199 AnonymousDavid AdelsonRobyn Allen-McKinnonPhyllis ArnoldMeg Barnette and Bradford LanderAustin and Jamie BerkelhammerMelissa BlechmanNancy and William BoardmanJessica BorowickDavid BronstonMarjorie CadoganAnthony CaifanoLois CarswellVictor and Eileen ChiecoKendall ChristiansenRandy CohenRosalynn CormierBarry Cozier and Margaret MortonLois and John D’AlimonteLisa DanetzLauren and Ron DavisDeanna DennisCarol and John DietzJulia DonnarumaJoyce DubenskySuzy EdelsteinWilliam EdgarCory EvansPaula Fendall and Earl ThomasJustin FoaMarilyn Gelber and Bob JacobsonJill Laurie GoodmanJeffrey GracerColvin W. GrannumPeter Grasso

Steven GreeneEricka and Robert GreensteinDiane GrossMark GrossichCarol and Steve GutmanDennis R. Hawkins, Esq.Felix Hester and Barbara Delfyett-HesterRobert F. HimmelmanPhyllis LaFarge JohnsonRachel KarlinerKenneth and Gillian KatzJennifer Korff and Josiah KlebanerJay L. KriegelLea Haber KuckCynthia KukerDagan LaCorteAlisa Levin and Charles NathanPhillip LiMichael LittenbergWanda LucibelloMargaret Malina and David TischmanHon. Andrea MasleyRandy Michael MastroHedy MattesonDavid and Sheila McLeanMartin J. McNamaraZachary MeiselCarlin MeyerEthan and Eileen MillerAaron MillerStephanie MorrisTheresa Moser and James LoprestDavid NocentiMark O’BrienTracy PennoyerKaren PhillipsMonica Pierrepointe and Michael Ball

Nan PuryearAbigail RecordSandra RiveraJanice RobinsonMuzzy RosenblattJennifer Rubin and Shawn FabianMartin and Jane SalwenJosie SandlerPaula SarroPaul and Phyllis SchlesingerJill SchukerElaine Schuler and Fred PalmerJennifer SharfFelice K. SheaMarla SimpsonLinda Sue and Rachel SloaneGary SteadmanMyrna SterlingTimonty and Wiebke SullivanAnne TeicherJeremy Travis and Susan HermanYael Utt and Bryan CaplinWillie VegaJonathan VillamanChaim WachsbergerDiane WachtellNancy WacksteinLiz WeberDanielle Weisberg and Daniel SplitgerberRoss WestonRudyard WhyteDudley N. Williams, Jr. and Juanita T. JamesAndrea Zellan and Andy GrossmanSteven Zimet and Linda CastrilliMichael Zisser and Marsha Morton

LIFT would like to recognize Strook & Strook & Lavan LLP for their pro bono legal services all year long.

We would also like to acknowledge all those who generously support our Gala with in-kind donations.

SupportersOctober 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014

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GalaJune 3, 2014

LIFT hosted our 2014 gala “A Benefit for Families” on Tuesday, June 3rd at THREE SIXTY˚ in Tribeca. The event raised over four hundred thousand dollars. The night’s honorees were W. Keyes Hill-Edgar, EVP and General Counsel, Music Group, Viacom Media Networks; former New York State Assembly member the Honorable Jonathan L. Bing; and The New York City Council. New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito accepted the award on behalf of The Council. The lead sponsor was Viacom, Inc.

Proceeds of the gala support LIFT’s programming to provide legal information and guidance to the vulnerable families struggling to make their way through the complex New York Family Court system. LIFT operates innovative, award-winning programs in the Family Courts in all five boroughs and in the community, all of which share the goal of promoting positive outcomes for families and children.

Honoree Keyes Hill-Edgar, Gala Chair Leslie Abbey, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, LIFT CEO Sharon Myrie, Honoree Jonathan Bing, LIFT Chair Steve McGrath, and Gala Vice-Chair Bill Silverman

LIFT founders Liberty Aldrich and Leslie Abbey

Hon. Richter, Hon. Ruiz, Hon. Richardson-Mendelson with LIFT CEO Sharon Myrie

Con Edison CEO John McAvoy with Ben Boyd and Tom Kuhn

Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito accepted the Ruth Schlesinger Memorial Champion of Children & Families award on behalf of The New York City Council

NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer with Honoree Jonathan Bing 13

5%

13%

43%

24%16%

Statement of Financial Positionas of September 30, 2014

$ 725,857

151,673

235,000

34,552

17,051

20,990

$ 1,185,123

AssetsCash and cash equivalents

Government grants receivable

Contributions receivable

Prepaid expenses

Security deposits

Fixed assets, net

Total Assets

$ 67,574

$ 67,574

Liabilities and Net AssetsLiabilities: Accounts payable and accrued expenses

Total Liabilities

250,000 593,633

$ 843,633

273,916

$ 1,117,549

$ 1,185,123

Net Assets: Unrestricted: Reserve fund Undesignated

Total Unrestricted

Temporarily restricted

Total Net Assets

Total Liabilities and Assets

Education & Publications

Family Courthouse Programs

Public Policy

Hotlines

Expenses by Program Area

Social Services

14

8% 27%

30%35%

15%

10%

75%

Statement of Activities for the year ended September 30, 2014

Revenue and SupportGovernment grants

Contributions

In-kind contributions

Special events

Investment income

Other income

Net assets released from restrictions

Total Revenue and Support

$ 641,129

601,930

18,000

352,992

255

680

0

$ 1,614,968

ExpensesProgram services

Supporting services: Management and general

Fundraising

Total supporting services

Total expenses

Change in net assets

Net assets – beginning of year

Net assets – end of year

$ 1,331,904

181,188

261,541

$ 442,729

$ 1,774,633

(159,647)

$ 1,277,196

$ 1,117,549

NYC Council

Individual Donations and Events

State Funding

Foundations

Sources of Revenue

Fundraising

Management and General

Program Services

Expenses

15

Who We Are

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR VICE CHAIRAnthony D. Schlesinger William C. Silverman, Esq.

TREASURER SECRETARYGlenn R. Pollner, Esq. Karen A. Greenstein, Esq.

Leslie Abbey, Esq. Liberty Aldrich, Esq.

Sara M. DiLeo, Esq. Frances J. DiSarro

Linda A. Fuller Roy Haynes Jr.

Susan R. Kramer Stephen McGrath

Stephen P. Moore Thomas W. Ostrander

Rebecca J. Simmons, Esq.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERSharon A. Myrie

Contact us Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)32 Court Street, Suite 1208 Brooklyn, NY 11201

OFFICE 646-613-9633

HOTLINE 212-343-1122

WEBSITE www.LIFTonline.org