FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2022
CONTACT
Eric W. Hughes
Bershad Communications Manager
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
(973) 233-5724
Email: ehughes@vljnj.org
Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) announces with gratitude and appreciation that the PSEG Foundation recently awarded VLJ a grant of $85,000 to support its Veterans Legal Program. VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program helps New Jersey Veterans with certain civil legal issues, including criminal record expungement, driver’s license restoration, bankruptcy, consumer debt defense, eviction defense, child support modification, and estate planning.
PSEG is no stranger to VLJ or to supporting those who served. For many Veterans, returning to civilian life can be challenging which is why in 2014, PSEG saw a need for a committed civil legal pro bono provider to assist Veterans; that same year PSEG partnered with VLJ to launch the Veterans Legal Program. Over the years, the Veterans Legal Program has been a stunning success, with PSEG’s legal department not only recruiting volunteers from McCarter & English LLP and Gibbons, P.C., but also paving the way for the expansion of the program to the East Orange VA Medical Center in 2017.
“The support provided by the PSEG Foundation will assist veterans in social readjustment, helping to uplift an already vulnerable population struggling with reengagement in civilian life, advancing their economic situation to one that is equitable and just,” said Calvin Ledford, President PSEG Foundation and Director Corporate Social Responsibility. “Furthermore, we are pleased that our partnership with VLJ extends to provide an opportunity for PSEG’s legal department, including attorneys and support staff, to volunteer to support veterans.”
Cathy Keenan, VLJ’s executive director, said, “It is not lost on me or VLJ that PSEG and the PSEG Foundation support many worthy causes, and they continue to show up for Veterans and VLJ with financial and volunteer support because of their commitment to the communities they serve. PSEG’s steadfast support for VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program really does prove that “public service” is more than just a name, it’s a company culture for them. This $85,000 grant will allow VLJ to continue fighting for those who put their lives at risk to defend our freedoms. We are incredibly grateful to PSEG and the PSEG Foundation for their ongoing support and partnership ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty.”
The Foundation’s commitment to helping Veterans has been remarkable, providing $675,000 in funding to VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program over the past eight years. Because of PSEG and the PSEG Foundation’s investment in our community, over 1,400 veterans have been helped through VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program.
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About the PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation is guided by three main pillars: environmental sustainability, social justice, and equity and economic empowerment. Through the PSEG Foundation, PSEG funds grants to more than 200 nonprofit organizations that have an impact in communities in New Jersey and Long Island, New York. It is a privilege to support and celebrate the work of these organizations, whose generosity serve the needs of millions of people in the communities PSEG serves. Public Service . . . More Than a Name. To learn more, please visit corporate.pseg.com/corporatecitizenship/psegfoundation.
About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)
VLJ is an award-winning, comprehensive nonprofit legal services program based in Newark, NJ, with a statewide reach. VLJ's mission is to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. The Newark-based organization ensures fair access to the legal system through partnerships with corporations and hundreds of volunteer attorneys. In 2021, VLJ’s work impacted nearly 3,500 people—including veterans, children, tenants, families, and survivors of human trafficking—and our volunteer attorneys provided $3.3 million in free legal services.