Attorneys' Guaranty Fund Inc. (ATG) has donated $50,000 to the Chicago Bar Foundation in support of not-for-profit foreclosure defense, mediation and counseling. The donation was matched by attorneys Denis Pierce, of Pierce and Associates, as well as Ernie Codilis and Greg Moody, of Codilis & Associates, making it a total contribution of $100,000.
The donation caps off a busy 2009 for ATG, which earlier in the year partnered with Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) to co-sponsor several foreclosure prevention events. ATG is the only bar-related title insurance company based in Illinois.
‘The downturn in the economy and housing market this year put a lot of people at risk for losing their homes to foreclosures,’ says Peter Birnbaum, ATG's president. ‘By donating money, and mobilizing and training hundreds of real estate attorneys to volunteer their weekends at these important, free outreach events, we feel ATG and its members were part of the solution.’
ATG and NHS sponsored and held three "Fix Your Mortgage" events in 2009 – two in Chicago and one in Cicero, Ill. NHS also assisted ATG in setting up similar events in Peoria, Ill., and Madison, Wis. Approximately 3,000 at-risk homeowners attended the five events.
This year, ATG has also donated to NHS; the Cara Program, which provides job training for the homeless, ex-offenders and recovering addicts; and Good News Partners, which helps fund homeless shelters in Chicago.
SOURCE: Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc.