Street Lawyers, Doctors, Hope Buses for Iraqi Kids

How we love and repect our team of women and men "Street Lawyers!"   Their expert interventions in the lives of boys and girls in trouble is life changing, not just for themselves but often others - maybe a poor widowed mother or siblings.  Hassan's* case is a poignant reminder. 

Hassan* (16) was picked up by police after breaking into a car and stealing money.  He faced the prospect in court of a harsh two-year prison sentence.  But Hassan was not facing this alone.  No, a Street Lawyer - provided free of cost by donors like you - stepped in.  You see, teenage Hassan was the family breadwinner, trying to support a desperately poor, blind mother as well as his little 10 year old sister.  When he was picked up, the family had not eaten in two days.  The Street Lawyer worked with Hassan in advance of the court hearing.  The stolen money was repaid to the owner and they persuaded the victim to withdraw charges.  Then, when the Street Lawyer explained Hassan's tragic story in court, the judge was touched and acted with mercy, dropping the penalty to six months in prison suspended.   

What if a Street Lawyer you support had not come to Hassan's defense?  What would have become of his blind mother and little sister without a breadwinner?  What would have happened to other children and their families in the hundreds of legal cases handled by Street Lawyers each year,  involving charges of theft, drugs, violence, trafficking, and or other offenses?  

Thanks to YOU, a lawyer DID come to Hassan's defense and his life was changed, just as other at risk Iraqi children's lives are being changed by your kindness and generosity.  We are so grateful to have you on the team! 

Gratefully,
Cindy

PS  Not yet a monthly donor?  Inspired to be?  Sign up today and earn a one-month free match (as small as $10 up to as much as $200!)  to support women and men lawyers like those who helped Hassan!

*Name and picture changed to protect child's privacy.

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Cindy Fogleman
Staff Advisor
Iraqi Children Foundation
www.iraqichildren.org
PO Box 233, Falls Church, VA 22040-0233
Mobile: +703.963.3832
cindy@iraqichildren.org

Wherever you are, please join us May 21 in walking/running " IN THEIR SHOES" for Iraq's extremely vulnerable and at-risk children.  Let's be the voice for the voiceless orphans, street kids, child laborers, trafficking victims, disabled children, and so many more at great risk.

You can join us in person in Washington DC at Hains Point or virtually anywhere on the planet!  After two years of the pandemic, we are eager to gather and to show our support for Iraqi children.  Can't make the 5K?  Please donate to our 10 year celebration fund or click on the green box to the right of the donate page and "Start A Fundraiser" to help us meet our goal!

Why we do this?  Because of the thousands of boys and girls who need legal, educational, nutrition, medical, and psychosocial help.  Your support and faithful monthly donations support street lawyers who go to court to defend children facing criminal charges.  It gives kids access to missing legal IDs that they need to go to school and get government support.  It means medical care for a child working at the city dump.  It means help from a social worker to finish school after a boy is released from prison.  It means tutoring for boys and girls who were working - and in some cases, still do -- on the streets.  It means defending a girl who has been a victim of sex trafficking from being charged as a criminal rather than the victim she really is. 

Thank you for supporting these children and join us as we return to an in-person 5K to try to envision what it is like to be "in their shoes."

Gratefully,
Cindy

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Cindy Fogleman
Staff Advisor
Iraqi Children Foundation
PO Box 233,Falls Church, VA 22040-0233
Mobile: +703.963.3832
cindy@iraqichildren.org

Links:

• Give to Iraqi Children to celebrate 10 years of running!
• Register to run in Washington DC or virtually anywhere