September 1997 - Swarthmore College :: ITS

ter, founded in 1972, provides
medical and mental
health care, substance
abuse prevention, social
services, entitlement assistance,
educational and vocational
training programs,
job placement—and legal
services.
The majority of The
Door’s legal cases, which
Chaifetz oversees, involve
issues of immigration, primarily
undocumented
young people; family law,
such as foster care, paternity,
child support, divorce;
neglect and abuse issues;
housing and public benefits
issues such as food stamps
and Medicaid eligibility.
Chaifetz and her staff of
three lawyers also offer preventive
services through
pamphlets and in educational
workshops given to youth
organizations across New
York City. “We really
encourage the clients to
understand how the system
works and how they can
help themselves,” Chaifetz
says. The legal division
closed more than 700 cases
in 1996, and Chaifetz
expects almost 800 this
year.
Chaifetz graduated from
New York University Law
School in 1989 after majoring
in political science at
Swarthmore. She first joined
The Door as a volunteer
attorney and in 1992 was
hired to create the legal services
center. In addition to
her staff, she coordinates
the work of 65 volunteer
attorneys and law students.
A typical day for Chaifetz
includes court hearings or
meetings with clients outside
the building. In the
afternoon there are staff
meetings and problem-solving
issues to be dealt with.
In the evening hours, there
is intake of new clients. All
her professional activities
are intertwined with her
personal ones, which
include 20-month-old
triplets Isaac, Leila, and
Milo. Chaifetz, who lives in
New York City shares the
credit of raising the children
with her “amazing husband,”
Daniel Seltzer.
One of the hardest parts
of her job at The Door is
finding funding to continue
to serve her clients. “The
need is so great,” Chaifetz
says. “We are one of only
two organizations in NYC to
serve kids with these legal
problems, but finding funding
is a constant challenge.
I’m always looking for innovative
sources for funding.”
Chaifetz says it’s rare
that a client comes to The
Door with just one problem,
and recognizing the enormity
of a young person’s problems
can be humbling and
at times emotionally draining.
But she emphasizes for
herself and to her staff the
importance of talking about
or dealing with their own
concerns.
“I tell the staff not to put
their grief on the client but
also not to bottle it up. I go
to other attorneys, and we
talk about recognizing it and
dealing with it,” she says.
“It’s not easy to hear hard
stories. But if our actions
put a client in a safe place,
help her get enrolled in
school, get a job legally, and
support herself, it’s worth
it.”
—Audree Penner
SEPTEMBER 1997 55