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Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund Awards $205,000 in Grants to Orange County Charities

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Feb. 13, 2018—The Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund announces its annual grant recipients, providing a total of $205,000 to 15 law-related organizations and programs in Orange County. Over the last decade, the OCBA Charitable Fund has provided over $1.2 million in grants to law-related charities in Orange County.

Last year, the OCBA Charitable Fund grants provided critically needed services to a broad range of clients including victims of domestic violence, legal services for low-income residents of Orange County and foster youth, diversity pipe-line efforts, and assistance for homeless residents. This year’s grants will ensure that these vital community programs continue. Moreover, additional projects will support child abuse prevention, expand access to legal education, and serve the immigrant and homeless throughout Orange County.

A special reception for grant recipients will be held on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at the OCBA office in Newport Beach, Calif. Attorney Todd Friedland, 2017 OCBA Charitable Fund Board President, will present the grants to recipients on behalf of the OCBA Charitable Fund.

The OCBA Charitable Fund extends its appreciation to the donors, sponsors, and volunteers who have helped to make this work possible through their support of its mission – to enhance the system of justice in Orange County and promote access to equal justice for all.

See the complete list of grant recipients below.

CALIFORNIA YOUTH CONNECTION
Creating Leaders From Within
Grant Awarded: $5,000
Provides leadership training to foster youth, ages 14-24, who subsequently work to transform the child welfare system through targeted legislative and policy advocacy. See calyouthconn.org.

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY FOWLER SCHOOL OF LAW
Bette and Wylie Aitken Family Protection Clinic
Grant Awarded: $15,000
Provides free legal advice and representation to low-income victims of family violence, trafficking, and other forms of abuse in protection orders and victim-related immigration matters, all while teaching up to 50 law students ethical lawyering skills and the value of pro bono community service. See chapman.edu/law/legal-clinics/family-protection.aspx.

COLLABORATIVE COURTS FOUNDATION
Transportation and Employment Assistance Program (TEAP)
Grant Awarded: $10,000
Provides transportation and employment support and services to program participants that are necessary to securing and maintaining employment, improving program participant graduation, and post-program success. See collaborativecourtsfoundation.org.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOUNDATION, ORANGE COUNTY
Civic Education Project
Grant Awarded: $45,000
Provides civic and law-related educational programs to Orange County high school students including Mock Trial, Peer Court, Constitution Day, Law Day, and the Orange County Career Forum to build greater knowledge of government, democracy, and the legal system. See crfoc.org.

COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES
Mentor-Advocate Program
Grant Awarded: $4,000
Trains and supervises volunteers who mentor and advocate for Orange County’s most at-risk foster youth both inside and outside the courtroom. See casaoc.org.

HUMAN OPTIONS
Legal Advocacy Program
Grant Awarded: $10,000
Provides survivors of domestic violence with education on legal rights, court accompaniment and support, direct assistance, and referrals. Within a limited scope, the program provides assistance with filing restraining orders and visa applications. See humanoptions.org.

LAURA’S HOUSE
Legal Advocacy Program
Grant Awarded: $10,000
Provides survivors of domestic violence with a wide range of services and support to assist them in understanding and securing their legal rights to lead safe, violence-free lives. See laurashouse.org.

LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY
Legal Aid in Action: Homeless Outreach
Grant Awarded: $30,000
Provides direct legal assistance to Orange County homeless and those at-risk of homelessness, focusing on helping particularly vulnerable individuals and families including youth and domestic violence survivors. See legal-aid.com.

ORANGE COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION
Project SELF
Grant Awarded: $4,500
Provides low-income and at-risk high school students with hands-on internships in the legal field. See ocbarfoundation.org/program/project-self.

ORANGE COUNTY CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION CENTER
Monitored & Supervised Visitation Program and Child Abuse Services Team (CAST)
Grant Awarded: $3,000
Serves at-risk children and families in crisis to prevent child abuses – sexual and physical, through facilitating monitored and supervised parental visits, and providing a safe, child-friendly facility for child abuse investigations and forensic interviews. See brightfutures4kids.org.

PUBLIC LAW CENTER
Bankruptcy Project
Grant Awarded: $25,000
Provides guidance to low-income, self-represented debtors as well as non-clinic bankruptcy case assistance through staff and volunteer lawyers and law students. See publiclawcenter.org/services/bankruptcy-legal-assistance.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE SCHOOL OF LAW
Pre-Law Outreach Program (POP)
Grant Awarded: $6,500
Assists undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds to prepare for the law school application and admissions process, understand the unique demands of the practice of law, and provide practical experiences in legal advocacy. See law.uci.edu/about/public-service/public-interest/community-programs/pop.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE SCHOOL OF LAW
Saturday Academy of Law (SAL)
Grant Awarded: $5,000
Provides a unique learning experience twice a year to ninth grade students. Students experience what higher education could look like, giving them a glimpse of future aspirations into the exciting field of legal education while improving their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. See law.uci.edu/about/public-service/public-interest/community-programs/sal.

VETERANS LEGAL INSTITUTE
Pro Bono Legal Clinics
Grant Awarded: $22,000
Provides pro bono legal assistance to homeless, at-risk, disabled, and low-income veterans and service members. Seeks to eradicate barriers to housing, education, employment, and healthcare and to foster self-sufficiency. See vetslegal.com.

WOMEN’S TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER
Legal Advocacy Services
Grant Awarded: $10,000
Provides shelter and supportive services to overcome legal barriers for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking who require immigration relief assistance. Responds to inquiries, provides consultation on available immigration relief, successfully files restraining orders, applications, and petitions, and trains volunteers and advocates. See wtlc.org.

About the Orange County Bar Association
Established in 1901, the Orange County Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary bars in California. The mission of the Orange County Bar Association is to enhance the system of justice, to support the lawyers who serve it, and to assist the community served by it.

About the Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund
Founded in 1995 as the charitable giving and fundraising arm of the Orange County Bar Association, the OCBA Charitable Fund provides resources to organizations and programs in order to enhance the system of justice in Orange County and promote access to equal justice for all. Over the last decade, the OCBA Charitable Fund has provided over $1.2 million in grants to law-related charities in Orange County.

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