My Non-Profit

I first had the idea in 2000.  I wasn't acting on it until 2003 or so, when I had done enough research to figure out how to eventually put it into action.  I was obstructed from doing it when I tried, by other means (long story).

I got the idea again in April and started putting ideas together and told family about it.  So I'm just starting up, but I got the EIN and was going to do it on Oliver's birthday (he is turning 6) but the 11th is a Saturday and the EIN app place was closed so I did it yesterday, on the 10th. 

I didn't know what to name it for sure, though I'd thought of ideas, until yesterday at the moment I was filling out the form.  So, I thought, "I know what it's about but who knows about the name" and so I thought to go to the Bible for a random verse and see if it had anything to do with justice or anything like that.  What I turned to did, and the number of the chapter was 42, so I added it to 6 and thought, "Well, it's also for Oliver's 6th birthday, so I guess it's "Six" for now."

That is how I got the name.  There was no plan in that part of it.  What I first turned to, I didn't even completely like, but thought, well, God's ways are greater than mine, and it mentioned "counsel", the counsel of God, and so I just went with it. 

I figured whatever negative connotation there is with this, is remedied by my thoughts with this scripture.

Today I thought I should go buy some Sixlets (used to get them as a kid). Anyway.

It's named as one for legal assistance and as a charitable organization.  As social service and community service agencies provide food and shelter (necessary services), this one has legal services in mind.  Most "volunteer legal" agencies are not charitable.  They offer services to people they pick, but they are not exactly putting a product into the citizen's hands.  My idea is to provide charitable grants and services to citizens who are Pro Se.

I can be an advocate and provide charitable services without giving legal advice.  However, I have in mind the idea to hire lawyers who would rather work in this kind of capacity than for corporate firms.  It would be sort of like ACLU, or a volunteer legal agency, but the focus is on empowering and strengthening the rights of Pro Se advocate, which is needed. 

Justice should not just be in the hands of the rich or the hands of those who want to "hand-pick" and choose their favorites for representation.  So it's sort of a NOLO idea, but I don't want to just offer citizens legal directions, but money for fighting their cause.  If there were a couple of lawyers who also wanted to take on cases or give guidance, I am planning to hire for that as well, but the money would be dependent upon grants and donations.  So, I will do grant-writing for my own non-profit and if there is money, I am sure that there must be lawyers who are creative, with high standards, who want to do something different and also get paid.

As for me, I was always planning to get a degree in law, but since that's on hold, there is no reason I can't be a CEO of a non-profit, even a legal one, as long I don't cross the line to providing legal "advice".

I don't know of any legal organization in the country that provides money to Pro Se advocates.

I already know what it's like to be Pro Se, because I did it myself in 2001-2005.   The only reason I lost was because of criminal obstruction of justice which affected my financial position and ability to travel.

So anyway, you have up to 26 months or so, to put it all together and formalize, from the time you file papers.  Which is plenty of time, if I am not being tortured in the meantime. 

As it stands, this country is still refusing to keep their promises.  They've broken all of them and kept none.

I started to tell my parents the name of my non-profit, but then the phone broke up and I remembered they might not like it bc someone had told me about 6 sexual predators in this area.  So I didn't think about that, but I might change the name.  It's not that big of a deal to change it at this point.