Message from the President, Jan 2017

For our January 19, 2017 lunch meeting at the Empire Room, we will feature two local agencies that work to help families and children with issues that often involve our local court system here in Guilford County.

The Family Justice Center (http://www.myguilford.com/family-justice-center/), located on the second floor of 201 S. Greene Street, has 50 professionals from 15 different disciplines on-site and provides a “one-stop shop” for victims of child abuse, domestic and sexual violence, and elder abuse.  The FJC provides a wide range of supportive resources, such as victim advocate assistance, assistance with filing restraining orders, planning for safety, interacting with law enforcement officers, meeting with a professional to discuss civil and criminal legal issues, receiving medical assistance, and gaining information on how to access shelter and other community resources.

Court Watch of North Carolina, Inc (http://www.courtwatchnc.org/) is located at 122 N. Elm Street. Court Watch helps children and families who need assistance from the courts.  Court Watch currently provides multiple programs, including 1) a 4 hour parenting class designed to meet the needs of parents or persons acting in loco parentis who are raising children in separate households (applicable to separated, divorced, never married, grandparents, step-parents and other care givers); 2) a pro se program that provides instructional packets and forms to help people file a new custody or visitation complaint as well as modification and contempt motions; and 3) a private process server program that provides a private investigator to locate and serve court documents on Guilford County non-paying parents when the Sheriff’s office has been unsuccessful in achieving service.

We will also have an update on the result of our Jones Book project and the progress of our Habitat for Humanity fund raising project.