Cy Pres Awards
Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) welcomes Cy Pres, as well as court settlement awards. Cy Pres (French for "as close as possible") awards allow unclaimed settlement funds from class-action suits to be distributed to organizations that are most likely to benefit or pursue the interests of the class. Court settlement awards come about when parties in a case agree that as part of the settlement one party will make a specified dollar contribution to a specific charity and the court approves the settlement.
Greater Boston Legal Services is an appropriate recipient of both Cy Pres and court approved settlement funds. Cy Pres and Court Settlement awards will support the free legal assistance GBLS provides for low-income individuals and families to help them secure or preserve the most basic necessities of life - shelter, food, protection against violence, and subsistence income.
Awards can be unrestricted, for general support or be designated to fund legal assistance for a particular population or a specific area of GBLS’ work.
Population Focus
-
People living in poverty
- Women
- Families
- Elders
- Victims of domestic violence
- Victims of consumer fraud
- Families facing destitution
- Homeless families
- Individuals with disabilities
- Low-wage workers
- Immigrants
- Nursing home residents
- Victims of torture
Issues Addressed
- Access to and preservation of affordable housing
- Access to emergency shelter
- Access to illegally denied nutritional, medical or income benefits
- Access to prescription drugs for elders
- Access to job training for low-wage workers
- Asylum & safe haven in the U.S.
- Consumer fraud
- Elder rights
- Illegally denied wages
- Nursing home residents’ rights
- Protection from abuse
Please keep GBLS in mind when directing a Cy Pres or court settlement award. For further information, please contact Ana Cruz at 617-603-1565, or acruz@gbls.org.