Wrapping up the eighth year of its Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE) program, the LBA saw another successful two-day event in Jefferson County Public Schools in March. The CARE program prepares high school seniors to manage their finances and understand responsible use of credit. The oversight of the Louisville CARE program is led by an advisory committee chaired by Ted King, partner at Frost Brown Todd. Committee members representing a dozen law firms and bankruptcy judges provide guidance and leadership to the program’s outreach to 21 high schools. The CARE program is funded each year by the Kentucky Bar Foundation.

The Louisville program has been recognized for innovative and impactful community service by the national CARE organization. In 2015, the CARE program was delivered to 3,800 high school students making it the largest public service project for the Louisville Bar Association. May sessions were delivered by solo practitioners and small firms. Nine large firms and legal groups made significant contributions by “adopting an entire high school and covering all their requested classroom sessions:

Frost Brown Todd (22)
Morgan Pottinger (12)
Stoll Keenon Ogden (10)
Legal Aid Society (8)
GSH and Wasson Thornhill (8)
Stites & Harbison (7)
Judges/Trustees/ Clerks (7)
FMD (6)
Bingham Greenebaum Doll (5)

Jefferson County Public School Superintendent Donna Hargens praised the CARE program saying it is “perfectly aligned with the district’s vision of all students graduating prepared.”

The contributing factors to the program’s continued growth are the dedication of the participating law firms who secure almost 100 attorneys and judges each spring; engaging student material in a 28-page booklet with illustrated credit content; a program website featuring an attorney registration platform and classroom resources for instructional follow up; Orientation training for the volunteers and the support of Jefferson County Public Schools administration.