Removing barriers to family and belonging.
Meet Darnell.
After Indiana Legal Services successfully helped Darnell clear his criminal record through fee waivers and expungements, he believed he could finally move forward and fully participate in his children’s lives. But when he tried to volunteer at his child’s elementary school, he was turned away because an outdated background check incorrectly said he still had a criminal conviction. The experience left him devastated.
Indiana Legal Services stepped in once again, working directly with the school to explain the expungement law and correct the background check. After extensive advocacy, the school welcomed the father as a volunteer in his child’s classroom – restoring not only his opportunity to be present in his children’s education, but also a sense of dignity, belonging, and hope for the entire family.
