Issues as diverse as domestic abuse, elder care, special education, housing discrimination, rental disputes, salary garnishment and more are addressed at the Legal Aid Society. There is an income-level determination that restricts who may receive services, but every effort is made to provide some level of assistance, even if that is just a referral to a local government entity, organization or attorney. Many free self-help brochures are available for downloading on the Legal Aid Society website (www.las.org).

By entering the quaint little doorway at 120 Franklin Street, many individuals have become clients of the Legal Aid Society. The office recently lost its longtime managing attorney when Attorney Patricia Mock accepted a law school teaching position in Michigan. Staff attorney Kevin Fowler was promoted to managing attorney last month. The Clarksville Office also has the services of paralegals, and victim advocates.

Due to funding restrictions, the staffing of this office is limited. At least two more full-time attorneys and paralegals are needed to bring the office to its desired manpower level. While the Legal Services Corporation does provide some funding, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands is largely dependent upon grants and donations for its survival. With the recent downturn in the economy and the ever-widening fallout from the upheavals in the financial markets, those traditional revenue sources may be unable to provide their regular support in 2009.

The Legal Aid Society is an IRS certified 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization providing legal advice and service to economically challenged individuals. The organization is facing a considerable shortfall in its funding coffers while at the same time seeing an increase in the need for its services. Private donations are readily accepted and would be greatly appreciated.  Send submissions to: Legal Aid Society, Attn: Donations, 120 Franklin Street, Clarksville, TN 37040; or 300 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37201.

CAMTAN is the local organization assisting individuals affected by the HIV pandemic within our own demographic. an IRS certified local 501 (C) 3 non-profit in need of community support.

As 2008 comes to a close, consider making a tax-deductible donation to this Clarksville-based non-profit. Started by a small collective of local ministerial leaders and lay people, the Clarksville Area Ministers Technical Assistance Network (CAMTAN) seeks to provide assistance, support and education to persons affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the greater community.

While Metro-Nashville has Nashville Cares, MICTAN, the Ryan White Foundation, Operation Stand Down Nashville-Street Front, a transportation funding grant from the Nashville United Way and a array of philanthropic foundations: Clarksville, Montgomery County, Dover, Stewart County, Erin, Houston County, Charlotte, Dickson, Dickson County, Springfield, Robertson County, Cumberland City, and other outlying areas must relay on the limited resources provided by a small collective of churches and a few private individuals, with which CAMTAN seeks to address the physical and psychological stresses that can accompany an HIV/AIDS infection.

Rev. James W. Hill Jr., pastor of Greenwood C.M. Baptist Church, serves as the Senior Executive Director of this all volunteer effort. Rev. Hill has attended numerous training seminars with the Nashville United Way -Ryan White Foundation, Operation Stand Down Nashville, the MICTAN initiative and Tennessee Dept. of Health to become certified as a HIV/AIDS counselor-facilitator.

MICTAN is the much larger and better funded Metro-Nashville equivalent of CAMTAN- a faith-based fellowship ministry to those impacted by the HIV/AIDS virus. These efforts are non-judgmental and focus on assisting the client in stabilizing their lives in the areas of housing, medication, counseling, personal relationships, fellowship and employment sustainability and include a general community health education outreach. Of the five county service area, Clarksville leads with the highest number of STDs and HIV transmission cases. The need for education and awareness is real and growing. CAMTAN is seeking to raise funding so that they can hire a case manager, a secretary and a driver and stabilize their client medical appointment transportation support system.

Rev. Timothy Grant- CAMTAN booth, 2008 African Street Festival

CAMTAN has participated in and sponsored several health fairs over the past years in an effort to increase community awareness of the various and diverse health issues confronting our collective communities. Information is available on cancer- be it either female or male breast cancer, colo-rectal or prostate cancer, cervical cancer or testicular cancer. Additionally diabetes, hypertension, obesity and weight control, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), depression and other mental health issues are all matters that CAMTAN seeks to aide the community in understanding and confronting. All of these health concerns are also of concern to individuals confronting an HIV/AIDS infection, along with issues of homelessness, abandonment and physical or domestic abuse. CAMTAN seeks to educate the community to raise the level of awareness and understanding of these issues and improve the public’s preventive posture addressing these concerns. It also seeks to provide assistance to those confronting an HIV/AIDS infection and/or the consequences of such an infection upon the client or family members.

Donations, both monetary and in-kind services, may be sent to: CAMTAN, 1325 Dodd Street, Clarksville, TN 37040. Receipts will be sent acknowledging all donations for tax reporting purposes. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return receipt. Rev. Hill is also available to speak with interested groups and coordinate CAMTAN participation in health fairs and other community events. Contact CAMTAN at 931-249-4262/552-3611. Send e-mail to: .

The Veterans Upward Bound program at APSU is looking for veterans. A flood of veterans, actually. Veterans who do not have a baccalaureate degree (BA/BS) are eligible for their services. The veterans college/technical school prep outreach seeks to assist veterans return to higher education studies. Dr. Arthur Neal heads up the operation, which is located on 219 Castle Heights Drive along the rear boundary of the APSU Intramural Sports Field.

The program provides academic, counseling and cultural events services for veterans. Assessment testing, remedial skills building techniques, computer-aided instruction and testing and personal counseling are all part of the outreach program’s structure to help veterans in their return to higher education and college studies. If the veteran did not graduate high school, assistance in obtaining a GED is also available for those needing it. Once the GED requirement is met, the technical school or college admission and education pursuit process can begin. Guidance and counseling continue as the veteran pursues his/her studies. The objective is to aid the veteran to a successful graduation.

Veterans in Montgomery, Stewart, Dickson, Chetham, Robertson, Metro-Nashville/Davison, Houston and Humphreys counties in Tennessee, and Christian and Todd counties in Kentucky, are included in Veterans Upward Bound’s service area. For more info, visit them at 219 Castle Heights, Clarksville, TN 37044; or call- Phone: (931) 221-7600, Fax: (931) 221-7598. Contact them today! Get YOUR future on.

Five years ago, a meeting of local area ministers resulted in the founding of the Clarksville Area Ministers Technical Assistance Network, CAMTAN. A non-profit group organized to provide mental, physical, and spiritual assistance to those confronting an HIV/AIDS infection. CAMTAN also seeks to provide capacity building faith-based responses to HIV/AIDS. The organization furthers seeks to combat this disease with a prevention education outreach campaign as well.

Dispelling the vast amount of misinformation and simply false data about this disease that is circulating within the community takes a considerable amount their time. CAMTAN’s client service area includes the city of Clarksville; Montgomery, Robertson, Chetham, Dickson, Stewart, Houston and Humphreys Counties. Clarksville is the central operation base.

Pastor James Hill is the executive director. For those dealing with actual infection, support services range from transportation to medical appointments, job interviews or medication pick-ups, to weekly community meals, consultations and fellowship. Coordination and networking with larger organizations in the Metro-Nashville area is also a part of the program. Applying for grants is a major funding objective. IRS regulations require the organization to demonstrate continued viability before being accorded a non-provisional 501(c) (3) status. Many grant funding entities require that non-provisional status to qualify for their large supporting grants.

Several pastors, local churches and private individuals have pledged monthly contributions that enable the program to function in its current limited capacity during this probationary period. This level of support is vital to CAMTAN being able to sustain its operation and meet its mission. While all area ministers have been invited to participate, at a minimum, in a financial support capacity, not all contacts have been favorably received. Sadly, some pledges have failed to materialize and that has had a serious negative impact on the program’s ability to meet its principle objectives. As a non-profit, CAMTAN draws no government funding to execute any of its programs.

Nashville Cares, MICTAN and The Ryan White Foundation do not cover Montgomery County or our neighboring areas. Clients served by CAMATN must rely on the meager resources which CAMTAN can muster to meet its mission. An eight-passenger van, administrative office support located at Greenwood CM Church, a telephone/fax line and email address and a regular community luncheon with fellowship are primary support facets of CAMTAN. A social worker provides case management on a limited basis.

Although several coordination efforts have been attempted, the Montgomery County Health Department and its AIDS Coordinator has not able to meet with CAMTAN clients or participate in past health fairs hosted by the organization. While CAMTAN manned an information table with health brochures and T-shirts, the Health Department was noticeably absent at the August 8th PCA 6th Annual African Street Festival at Fairgrounds Park. This prevented blood pressure checks and diabetes screenings from being part of the community-wide outreach.

Pastor Hill attends several conferences and workshops in the course of a year. Information on infection rates, medical updates, medicinal breakthroughs and adverse reaction alerts, grant writing guidance and grant opportunities are just some of the benefits gained from these gatherings. Ofttimes, the expense of these conferences is borne out of his own pocket because CAMTAN’s funds cannot cover the cost and meet its clients needs. Public education is a major component of the awareness outreach. The impact of health irregularities of all kinds are the focus of community health outreach efforts. For CAMTAN, these ministries are vital in alleviating community health challenges.

CAMTAN is always in need of and appreciative of cash donations. Be it personal, business, organizational or house of worship in origin, financial donations are welcome. For more info on how you can help, write them at: CAMTAN, 1325 Dodd Street, Clarksville, TN 37040. Call at 931-647-5777.