Meet Reggie

We met Reggie when he was just eight years old, making him one of our youngest clients. While his story is still evolving, we would like to share it with you because we think it illustrates how your donation to the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy puts the wheels of justice into action for youth in our community. 

After less than three years in the public school system, Reggie had received 40 disciplinary referrals. Although Reggie had an excellent attendance record and was consistently described by his teachers as smart, it was difficult for him to make connections with his classmates and his grades indicated that he was under-performing in school. Reggie’s grandmother and legal guardian, Lorna, was growing concerned. It was painful for her to see Reggie, a child who had always liked school, feeling insecure and questioning his ability to learn. Lorna reached out to the Moran Center to get Reggie the support he needed.

The Moran Center assembled an integrated team consisting of a special education attorney and a social worker. After helping Lorna navigate the complicated Medicaid and mental health care systems, Reggie received a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and started taking medication to help with his diagnosed ADHD. We even helped Lorna with transportation and childcare arrangements so she could take Reggie to his appointments. 

Throughout 2017, the Moran Center met with school officials to negotiate a plan that addressed Reggie’s unique needs, including receiving critical help from a reading specialist. Over the summer, we partnered with Reggie’s school to provide the family with YMCA summer membership passes, Evanston beach passes, swim lessons at the YWCA, and tuition for summer camps. Reggie’s favorite part of summer was going to the beach where he reconnected with some of his classmates! 
 
As Reggie enters the 3rd grade, we will continue to assist him and his family, providing advocacy, counseling, and case management as they navigate the daunting maze of the special education and mental health care systems to ensure that Reggie receives appropriate services and support.  

Please consider a generous gift today so we can put the wheels of JUSTICE in ACTION for youth who deserve justice in the courtroom, access to the classroom, and support in the community. 

To protect client confidentiality and privacy, client names have been changed and images are not of actual clients.