For Immediate Release

August 4, 2005

American Legal Finance Association Helps Fund Rebuilding of

Church Damaged by Explosion

As Parish Awaits Settlement, Pastor Says, ‘They were the only ones to help us’

HOUSTON -- Members of the American Legal Finance Association (ALFA) have joined together to help rebuild Houston’s New Deliverance Church while the parish awaits settlement from a nearby chemical plant that exploded, causing tremendous damage to the church. The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection has, over the objections of the owners, banned the plant from reopening.

On Dec. 3, 2004, during prayer service and mere hours after receiving the modest settlement check for damages and injuries caused by another explosion at the plant one year earlier, New Deliverance and parishioners were rocked by a far more damaging explosion. 

New Deliverance Church was left with caved-in ceilings, cracked walls, doors that had been blown off their hinges, and nonfunctioning air conditioning units. At the in-residence rehabilitation program for men, which is housed in the church, sinks and light fixtures were knocked off the walls and the ceiling and air conditioning units were so badly damaged that the space was nearly inhabitable,  especially during August when Houston temperatures regularly top 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Air condition costs more than doubled. And the church’s pastor, Janice Caslin, was having trouble covering the repair bills.

She appealed to numerous sources including banks and local businesses for financial aid for the rebuilding while the church awaited a settlement, but was turned away after being told the church didn’t “fit the mold” to receive a contribution.

That’s when the church turned to ALFA member company LawMax.  Pastor Caslin applied for advanced legal funding from the company, which saw the church’s need and moved quickly to provide the cash necessary to help pay for initial repair bills.

“When Pastor Caslin came to us and told us about her situation, we immediately began working on getting her the funds to get her church back on its feet,” LawMax president Max Volsky said.

“And when Max told all of the ALFA members about the church’s plight, we just had to help,” ALFA president Harvey Hirschfeld said.  

With the funds provided by LawMax, Pastor Caslin was able to make enough repairs that the church was able to stay open while awaiting the resolution of the case against the chemical plant.

“Their help was a blessing,” Pastor Caslin said. “They were the only ones to help us.”

ALFA was established as a not-for-profit corporation in July 2004. In addition to its work to promote high standards for fair business practices and become an advocate for positive industry change, ALFA is the liaison to the public and the media to increase understanding about the non-recourse funding industry and communicate about the service it provides to thousands of people each year.

More information about ALFA can be found at its website, www.americanlegalfin.com.