Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm has selected Charlotte Catholic Charities Immigration Services and Communities in Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg as the beneficiaries of its Charitable Fund in 2021.
Garfinkel Immigration created the fund four years ago, in commemoration of its 20th anniversary, to return a portion of its profits to the community. The Fund contributes to nonprofit organizations in the Charlotte region that empower economically marginalized and vulnerable people while supporting pluralism and embracing multiculturalism.
“We look forward each year to the opportunity to return a portion of our profit to the community in which we have thrived for more than 24 years,” Co-Managing Partner Steven H. Garfinkel said. “We are deeply rooted in Charlotte and committed to responding — as part of the community — to the needs of the community. We are pleased to invest in organizations that share our values and deeply appreciate their service to the most vulnerable among us.”
Charlotte Catholic Charities Immigration Services offers assistance to citizens and noncitizens in the United States and their family members overseas. Their mission is to reunite families, assist immigrants to obtain all eligible benefits and help qualified Legal Permanent Residents become U.S. citizens.
Communities in Schools (CIS) of Charlotte-Mecklenburg aims to “surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.” The organization connects students in need with resources such as clothing and health screenings; academic support; mentoring; as well as exposure to cultural and work-life experiences. CIS of Charlotte-Mecklenburg operates in 54 schools in the local area, assisting more than 6,000 students per year.
“We have elected to invest in Catholic Charities Immigration Services because, as an immigration law firm, we know from experience how immigrants enrich our culture and advance the economic vitality of our country. We embrace inclusion and celebrate diversity as core values,” Garfinkel said. “We are investing in Communities in Schools because we believe in the heroic work they do every day to lift up children to fulfill their potential — work that has been both especially trying and vitally important in these historically challenging times.”
In its professional work, the Firm enables businesses to benefit from a wealth of global talent while simultaneously establishing legal immigration pathways for vibrant families who enrich American communities.
Similarly, Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm is committed to the local community as a natural extension of its efforts every day to create opportunity and dignity for people across the globe while fostering understanding and tolerance as core values. The Firm is proud to invest in local nonprofits who share our values, with gratitude to its clients who have enabled its success over many years.
Previous beneficiaries of the Fund include Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, Crisis Assistance Ministry, Safe Alliance, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (CCLA), the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, RAICES, Care Ring and Refugee Support Services of Charlotte.