Spring Donor Spotlights

SCALAMBRINO & ARNOFF
and JANE HESSE

In 1989 a young legal associate by the name of Alisa Arnoff was asked if she could answer some legal questions from the Administration team at the then four-year-old Deborah’s Place. As a volunteer for a domestic violence organization, Alisa thought it was a natural endeavor for her to work with an organization that provides vital services for women. Now today, twenty years later, Alisa is a partner in her own law firm, Scalambrino & Arnoff, and continues along with all of the members of the firm to diligently provide pro-bono employment-related legal advice to Deborah’s Place.

Scalambrino & Arnoff was founded on the idea of “offering highly personalized service tailored to each client’s unique needs”, a concept that is carried through with every one of their interactions with Deborah’s Place. Artaisha Brown, Director of HR and IT at Deborah’s Place, said that “No question is too big or too small for them…they do our annual legal HR presentations to staff and supervisors and advise me on a regular basis about new HR laws and procedures Deborah’s Place needs to follow.”

Not only does Scalambrino & Arnoff provide advice to staff, but have also held training sessions on re-entering the workforce for Deborah’s Place participants.

What would motivate a successful law firm that serves Fortune 100 clients to take time out of their busy days to provide pro-bono services to Deborah’s Place Staff and participants?

When asked, Alisa said, “The bottom line? Deborah’s Place does good work and practices what it preaches. We have been honored to watch the organization’s development under the guidance of Sister Patricia Crowley, Audrey Thomas, Artaisha Brown and others too numerous to mention. The mission will never be complete, and thus our partnership will continue until the issues of providing housing and other services to homeless women are completely resolved.”

Deborah’s Place is so grateful for the twenty years of service that Alisa Arnoff, Gregg Simon and all of the staff at Scalambrino & Arnoff have provided us. We are looking forward to another twenty years of partnership!

To learn more about the services that Scalambrino & Arnoff offer, click here.

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A DEBORAH’S PLACE COMFORT GIVER:

Four years ago, Jane Hesse began knitting Afghans for the women of Deborah’s Place. Jane learned about Deborah’s Place through a mutual friend of hers and long-time volunteer, Penny Applegate. Since March of 2005, Penny has picked up 31 beautiful Afghans from Jane and delivered them to Deborah’s Place where the Afghans are given to women in each of the programs. On one occasion, Penny took Jane to visit each of the Deborah’s Place sites where Jane was able to see how her one-of-a-kind Afghans reflect the individuality of each of the women of Deborah’s Place.

In addition to knitting Afghans, Jane gives her time and energy to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago where she was a patient 20 years ago following a car accident, Holy Name Cathedral, and the Center for Disability and Elder Law as a volunteer lawyer. Jane attended law school after her accident to prove to herself she could still function and make a contribution to the world. She’s a remarkable woman.

We thank Jane for her Afghans which touch and comfort the women of Deborah’s Place.

Jane Hesse, afghans in hand, with her friend and long-time Deborah’s Place supporter Penny Applegate.