Cluster Tutoring has received a $6,000 grant from Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth, a group that uses the legal community’s resources to promote best-practice mentoring and tutoring programs in disadvantaged communities.

Cluster was one of 13 grant recipients honored by the group, which awarded grants from $5,000 to $7,500. The program also encourages lawyers’ involvement in tutoring and mentoring programs.

One of those lawyers involved is Cluster tutor Susan Harris of Sidley Austin, shown here with her student, Kayla M. “I’m a tutor for so many reasons: I witness ‘aha’ moments when things start coming together; when things don’t click, I’m challenged to devise new ways to explain things so they make sense; I get to spend time with other adults who share similar interests; and it makes me happy.”

Most important, though, Susan said, “I have the honor of smiling, laughing, and sharing time with my tutee – Kayla – who I’ve grown to love.”

The executive director of Lawyers Lend-A-Hand is Kathryn McCabe, who was the longtime executive director at Cluster.

This is the 21st year of the Lend-A-Hand grant program, which has helped more than 125 youth groups that offer one-to-one mentoring and tutoring. Besides awarding the annual grants to local programs, Lawyers Lend-A-Hand recruits volunteers from the legal profession and provides professional development and other capacity-building technical assistance to partner mentoring programs.

Since its founding in 1995, Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants and positively affected the lives of tens of thousands of youths in the Chicago area. Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth was created by the Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Foundation in dedication to the memory and generosity of Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz.