The Alan Houseman Memorial Fund
CLASP is saddened by the passing of our former Executive Director and public service powerhouse, Alan Houseman. Serving as CLASP's executive director for 32 years, from 1981 - 2013, Alan left behind a strong, vital organization that transformed the lives of millions of people with low incomes under his leadership.
When he joined CLASP in 1981, Alan led efforts to strengthen and preserve the Legal Services Corporation, which funds local legal services offices across the country to ensure low-income people have access to quality representation. He also set CLASP on its course as a leading advocate for families and children—fighting for improved child support systems, federal welfare reform, expanded child care and early education, and comprehensive job training and education programs.
Alan positioned CLASP as a strong and trusted voice among policymakers. He was instrumental in many landmark policy victories in the movement for economic justice, including transforming the child support system from a focus on recovery of state welfare assistance to a focus on family support; establishing Early Head Start; launching the Child Care and Development Block Grant; the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including a $5 billion TANF emergency fund; and advocating for the Fostering Connections and Increasing Adoptions Act. Recognizing that laws are only meaningful if they actually work for real people, Alan made sure to develop partnerships at the federal, state, and community levels to guide their implementation. CLASP continues to be an instrumental partner at these levels today.
Alan's numerous awards and honors include the National Equal Justice Award, the Coalition on Human Needs Heroes Award, and the Oberlin College Distinguished Achievement Award. His legacy will stand the test of time.
Along with Alan's family, CLASP invites you to celebrate his leadership in the anti-poverty space by making a special donation to The Alan Houseman Memorial Fund today. Your support will allow the organization he nurtured to continue to ensure that people with low incomes and communities of color can access the public support programs that set them on a path to economic security. Whether it's Medicaid, child care support, or nutrition assistance, public benefit programs are critical to millions of families and individuals. Your donation will ensure CLASP remains a critical advocate.