PRESS RELEASE

The Tennessee Justice Center receives two $100,000 grants from the Tennessee Bar Foundation

Nashville, TN — The Tennessee Bar Foundation has awarded the Tennessee Justice Center two $100,000 grants from the Tennessee Legal Initiatives Fund (TLIF).

The funds came from a consumer relief settlement between the Department of Justice and Bank of America Corporation. They were designated by a committee named by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees for the purpose of extending the capacity of organizations to break the cycle of poverty and the barriers to justice by using civil legal aid and education to increase productivity and success for vulnerable populations.

Houston Parks, of Columbia, Chair of the Tennessee Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, said the following in regard to their recommendations for the grants from the Tennessee Legal Initiatives Fund (TLIF): “The work would be centered on innovation, coupled with durable and life-changing initiatives, to redevelop communities. This is a tremendous opportunity for the Foundation to make a lasting difference for the populations the grantees serve.”

The Tennessee Justice Center was granted $100,000 to reform systemic policies and procedures surrounding long term services and supports portion of the TennCare program, known as CHOICES, and an additional $100,000 to develop educational resources and train volunteers to assist General Sessions Court litigants who cannot afford an attorney.

Michele Johnson, Executive Director of the Tennessee Justice Center, said in regard to the two grants: “We are so grateful for the Tennessee Bar Foundation’s continued support and for the opportunity to expand our work to help more people in need. We will use the funds to improve the experiences that Tennesseans have with the CHOICES program and the General Sessions Court.”