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1. My Thanks, Frank Cervone
Dear Friends, During the past few months we have reached out to you frequently to support our work. You patiently received our countless invitations, reminders and ticklers … we appreciate you not spamming us! Thank you as well for consistently stepping up for our kids. More than 600 friends attended our Annual Benefit Reception and more than 1,000 participants competed in the Philadelphia Bar Association 5K Run/Walk! And thank you for believing that when we come together – at events like our ABR and Run – that our collective passion for change and unwavering commitment to making it happen will inspire all of us to become the child advocates who fulfill the best tomorrow for our kids. In addition to representing almost 800 children in the last year, we have been active in the policy arena, pressing for improved delivery of behavioral health services, design of a new state-of-the-art family court building, creation of a statewide Children’s Ombudsman, and the investment of public dollars in child abuse prevention. Locally and nationally, we are working to advance the rights and needs of children. Keep reading for what’s coming up on our calendar. Stay involved! We want to see you again soon! Frank P. Cervone,
Thanks to you, we raised $367,000 for our kids on April 22 at our Annual Benefit Reception. In an economy that mirrors the devastation of the 1930s, more than 600 friends came together to celebrate and surpass our fundraising goal! How did we accomplish this feat? The answer is simple: YOU. YOU understood the increased vulnerability our kids face during tough times. YOU acknowledged that in a crippling economy we must ask boldly for help for kids who can’t. YOU stepped up. Thank you. Your support allows us to provide critical legal and social services for abused and neglected children. Thank you for listening to their stories and helping to change them for the better! Enjoy our Annual Benefit Reception highlights!
View our ABR Photos!
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An accomplished litigator who has represented 12 child clients from 5 different families as a Child Advocates volunteer attorney, Frank is consistently rated “excellent” by our staff. Known as a great collaborator with Child Advocate Social Workers, he faithfully makes home visits and attends school meetings for all his young clients. Frank is recognized repeatedly for his human rights activities. He has worked to reduce racial tensions in Philadelphia, improve the quality of life for the elderly, and bring safety to Sudanese refugees. As a young lawyer, he co-chaired Blank Rome’s pioneering Juvenile Justice Program, setting himself on a path of pro bono service that has helped hundreds. We honor Frank for his selfless pursuit of justice and civil rights. 
Nicole is a local and national leader in volunteer lawyer service. Described by a colleague as “perhaps the most dedicated lawyer” in her firm, Nicole has extended that commitment to Child Advocates for more than a decade, chairing the Duane Morris Child Advocacy Practice Group and helping with our fundraising efforts. At the firm, one lawyer described her as “the nicest person here.” Nicole has represented 12 client children over the years, bringing diligence and professional care to each child, along with compassion and empathy for their well-being. She extends her concern for vulnerable kids as a mentor and volunteer with Philadelphia Reads and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nicole is a role model for her child clients, volunteer attorneys, friends and family – in short, all of us! We honor Nicole for the deep care and high professionalism she brings to our work. 
A lifelong educator who displays energy that belies her years, Sister Jeannette is fiercely loyal to her kids. One colleague noted, “If there is an issue in a child’s life and she knows about it, she is his champion.” Her interactions are effective, her presence complete. Said another, “She understands kids and knows how to talk with them in a way that makes them feel comfortable.” The students and families of St. Francis de Sales School run the gamut of ethnic and economic diversity, and so do the challenges. Yet Sister Jeannette “gets it done” for each child and family. Philadelphia’s children are better for her extraordinary dedication. We honor Sister Jeannette Lucey for her personal affection and abiding presence to the many children and families she serves.
As a Child Advocates Board Member, Sharon chaired the Annual Benefit Reception, led our Board Public Relations Committee, and stepped up as liaison to our first-ever Client Advisory Board. There, she found her stride! Working closely with social work staff, she listened to the fears and dreams of current and former clients of our agency and others, and led each young person to untold maturity and growth. Sharon is also a key supporter of the Caron Foundation and the struggles so many face in confronting and overcoming addiction. Now she has taken on her largest challenge, the creation of Eddie’s House, a community-based residential support program for young adults who are transitioning from the foster care system. She is a companion on the journey of many! We honor Sharon for her generous services to people in need.
Bob became a Child Advocates volunteer attorney in 1999 and has since represented 10 youngsters. Known as a mentor, confidante and friend to his clients, he is quick to develop close relationships with the children and their caregivers, staying in contact even after his work with them is complete. A tenacious advocate, his thoroughness and zeal are legendary. In one case, he mobilized a team of pro bono attorneys to save a home – the only asset in an orphaned child's life – from sheriff's sale. Bob shares his talents with other charitable works as an active volunteer with Philadelphia VIP and former board member at Options and the Senior Law Center. We honor Bob for his manifest commitment to improving the lives of children.
For more than two decades, Carol has been a force in civil rights law, leading major legal victories with national impact in reproductive rights, athletics and public welfare. At the Women’s Law Project, she leads an extraordinary team of dedicated professionals. A passionate, tireless defender of the most disenfranchised among us, Carol has been equally active on the local advocacy scene, championing behavioral health services for pregnant and postpartum mothers and chairing the citywide Domestic Violence Task Force. And always, you will find her asking, “What about the kids?” Her bold efforts to uncover investigative breakdowns in the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit (SVU) led to reforms in child abuse and domestic violence work as well as the creation of a new SVU headquarters. Carol was appointed by Mayor Street in 2006 to study the leadership crisis at the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) and serves as an effective member of the DHS Community Oversight Board. We honor Carol for her extraordinary dedication to the rights and needs of others.
The Legal Intelligencer has cooked up a delicious challenge for all Philly lawyers this summer - boost office morale with a creative culinary contest called COOKING UP JUSTICE. Time to get out of the office and into the kitchen. The icing on the cake? A percentage of all proceeds will be allocated to the Support Center for Child Advocates for our life-changing programs benefiting abused children.
