Support CDEL with a Donation  in Caroline Manley’s Honor

As Executive Director Caroline Manley prepares to conclude her remarkable fourteen year journey with the Center for Disability & Elder Law, we invite you to join us in celebrating the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind while sustaining it into the future.   

CDEL Executive Director Caroline Manley speaking at CDEL's annual Appreciation Event on 6/3/25 at Perkins Coie LLP

From the very beginning, Caroline brought compassion, vision, and fierce dedication to CDEL’s mission. She reflects on her time at CDEL:

“What will stay with me most are the people: the clients who trusted us in their hardest moments, the partners who offered guidance, and the incredible team who showed up every day to fight for them. CDEL has been a place where I found purpose, community, and the deep privilege of standing alongside so many remarkable individuals.”

Under her leadership, CDEL grew from a small staff of just six to a dynamic team of 22, including twelve full-time attorneys. Her tenure transformed CDEL into a cornerstone of Chicago’s legal aid community—empowering older adults, families, and adults with disabilities with dignity and peace of mind. 

With Caroline at the helm, CDEL expanded its impact through strategic partnerships in the community and with hundreds of volunteer attorneys, laying the groundwork for another bold new strategic plan launching later this year. 

We invite you to honor Caroline’s incredible service with a gift to CDEL. Your support will continue the work she so passionately championed and help ensure a future where every client experiences the security and justice they deserve. 

Caroline’s final day is June 25th. All donations made in her honor through July 3rd will be acknowledged and shared with her in a letter from CDEL (donation amounts will not be disclosed). 

Let’s celebrate Caroline’s legacy with gratitude, admiration, and hope - by investing in the future she helped build.