NONPROFIT RESTRUCTURES TO BETTER SERVE CLIENTS

Community Legal Resources Sets Foundation for Continued Growth

DETROIT – November 4, 2010 – Community Legal Resources (CLR) recently completed a strategic restructuring process to manage its growth in programs and staff and better serve its clients.

The staff of the Detroit-based nonprofit has more than tripled since 2007 and its service offerings have expanded to include vacant property technical assistance and community outreach.  The majority of the vacant property related services were provided through a project called the Detroit Vacant Property Campaign. The strategic planning process included the development of a new organizational and management structure.

Three business units were created that recognize and integrate the expanded work of CLR and DVPC. CLR is now better positioned to sustain its growth and new programs.  The work and name of the Detroit Vacant Property Campaign will continue and is now integrated across all three new business units. The new business lines are: Legal and Policy, Planning and Technical, and Education and Outreach.

CLR’s new management structure promoted Heidi Alcock Mucherie from Executive Director to Chief Executive Officer and Sarida Scott from Legal Director to Chief Program Officer. Maya Cadwell Stovall was hired as CLR’s first Chief Operating Officer.

The new organizational structure has already allowed CLR to work smarter and provide improved services to an increasing number of community-based organizations across Michigan.

The mission of Community Legal Resources is to support and empower nonprofit community organizations in Michigan that serve low-income individuals and communities, with an emphasis on community economic development, by providing pro bono legal services and technical assistance. Founded in 1998, CLR has provided over $9 million in free legal assistance to over 900 nonprofits in Michigan and vacant property related assistance to over 200 community organizations in Detroit.  Find CLR at www.clronline.org and www.detroitvacantproperty.org and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Peoplemovers.