(From left to right) Lee Anne Mangone, Ann Y. Young and Jerry De Land
The 2020 Jazz for Justice annual celebration will not take place this year in response to the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. While we won’t be able to gather together and celebrate the tireless efforts of these honorees, we still want to recognize them and thank them for their work in ensuring that justice belongs to everyone, and not just to those who can afford it.
Please take a moment to learn more about this year’s honorees:
Lee Anne Mangone
Recipient of the 2020 Board Member Emeritus Award
The Board Member Emeritus Award was inspired by Karl H. Straus, the first Board Member Emeritus, and created to recognize outstanding individuals for exemplary service on PLS Board of Directors.
In 1999, Lee Anne Mangone, her husband Peter and their three young children arrived in Asheville. Before their move, Lee Anne was an Assistant District Attorney in Atlanta. In Asheville she began a second career as an adjunct college professor and currently teaches at UNC Asheville in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and at Brevard College in their Criminal Justice program. She and her husband are proud of their three children, Rob who is 24 and Annalise & Elizabeth who are 21.
Lee Anne first became connected to Pisgah Legal shortly after moving to town when a dear friend (and current PLS staff member) Tracey Walker made a donation in Lee Anne’s name to honor her birthday. “It was one of the best birthday presents I’ve received,” says Lee Anne. “In addition to knowing a friend had invested in the good work of Pisgah Legal, I was placed on the mailing list and enjoyed learning about the incredible work done at the organization. Then, at a meeting I heard a presentation by [former PLS Managing Attorney] Julie Klipp Nicholson who talked about domestic abuse in our community and that’s when my desire to get more involved occurred.”
In 2012 she joined the Board of Directors and has served on a number of committees. From 2017-2018 she served as Board President. She is proud of all of the work of the Board and grateful for its commitment to the sustainability of the organization, including work on the endowment and developing infrastructure for continued growth. She has also worked as a volunteer screener, speaking with prospective clients to learn more about their cases.
This work, she says, “has made me a better teacher, a better mom, and a better member of our community.” In addition to her continued work as a volunteer, Lee Anne is grateful to continue serving on the Program Committee. “The future of PLS is really bright. Our community is fortunate to have its dedicated staff, volunteers, volunteer attorneys, and so many community members involved in and committed to the needs of our neighbors.”
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Gerald De Land
Recipient of the 2020 Arnold and Bernice Green Philanthropy Award
The Arnold and Bernice Green Philanthropy Award was created to recognize exceptional generosity that demonstrates commitment to providing access to justice for low-income people in Western North Carolina.
In 1995, Jerry De Land moved to the area with his wife, Connie, after retiring and raising their three children. Jerry is an avid potter specializing in creating one-of-a-kind lamps with handmade lampshades. His work is displayed in local galleries including the Grove Park Inn’s Grovewood Gallery.
In 2010, he read an article in the newspaper about Pisgah Legal Services receiving a matching grant to help pay for its new Asheville office building. “I read the article and said to myself, ‘they have to meet their goal’, so I dropped off a check right then and there. Jim was in the building and gave me a tour and we had a great conversation.” A few years later when an Endowment Investment Committee was formed, Jim asked Jerry to join and he continues to serve today.
In 2019 Jerry encouraged donors to contribute to the PLS endowment to help pass the all-important one million dollar mark. He knows that donations to the endowment fund are more likely now that the principal has reached achieved critical mass.
Along with his service on the Investment Committee and his continued financial support, Jerry has also introduced Pisgah Legal Services and its mission to his friends and neighbors at the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community. “I truly believe in Pisgah Legal’s mission to help people who cannot get legal help otherwise, and I think it’s important to share that message with as many people as possible.”
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Ann Y. Young
Recipient of the 2020 Roy W. Davis, Jr. Award
The Roy W. Davis, Jr Award was established to recognize pro bono attorneys who make exemplary contributions to the PLS mission of providing equal access to justice and civil legal aid to low-income people in Western North Carolina.
In 1981, Ann Young and her husband, Michael arrived in Asheville from Chapel Hill. Within a few months, she joined Mission Hospital as its first in-house counsel. By the time she retired as Senior Vice President and General Counsel in 2017, she had grown legal services to a team of six attorneys and additional professional and support staff.
After retiring from Mission, she was selected as the Interim Executive Director for the newly formed Dogwood Health Trust where she currently serves as a Senior Consultant to the CEO and Board.
It was as a volunteer with the United Way of Asheville-Buncombe in the early 1980’s that Ann was first introduced to Pisgah Legal Services. “I was on the allocations committee and remember meeting Jim (Barrett). I was very impressed with the mission, efficiency and efficacy of the organization.”
She was a two-term board member for Pisgah Legal Services and currently serves on the finance committee and governance committee. When asked about one of her proudest accomplishments as a PLS volunteer, she answers that it was “working with Jim (Barrett) in implementing the HEALS Project (Health Education and Legal Support Project) at Mission Hospital and helping to educate physicians and other hospital staff on the importance of providing free legal aid to poor patients.” Jim credits Ann with the creation of the first medical legal partnership in North Carolina and one of the first in the South, certainly one of the few to be supported financially by the hospital partner: “It could not have happened without her avid support.” That partnership and related, subsequent medical legal partnerships have assisted hundreds of patients address health-harming conditions like domestic violence and homelessness.
Ann continues to be inspired by PLS and is honored to be chosen as the Roy. C. Davis honoree. “Roy was one of the first people I met when I arrived in Asheville. I considered him a mentor, colleague and friend.” She is excited to stay connected to PLS and increase her hands-on involvement. “Since arriving in Asheville [almost 40 years ago], I’ve been proud to support Pisgah Legal and the amazing work of its staff and volunteers in assuring access to legal services for our neighbors in need.”