San Diego County Bar Foundation Awards $401,000 to 21 Local Nonprofits

The San Diego County Bar Foundation has awarded $401,180 to 21 local nonprofit organizations to provide legal services, public awareness education and improvements to the region’s justice and court system.

Awards from the Bar Foundation’s general grant and Indigent Criminal Defense funds focus on assisting people and communities throughout North County, Central/Downtown San Diego and East County. Grants assist organizations that serve immigrants, the working poor, domestic violence victims, the disabled, veterans, the homeless, low income seniors and at-risk youth.

“You feel their strong sense of commitment to the people that they serve,” said San Diego County Bar Foundation Board Member Alreen Haeggquist. “After visiting these organizations, I am even more motivated to help them with their mission.”

Recipients of the Indigent Criminal Defense Fund are:

  • California Veterans Legal Task Force – $50,000 to provide criminal defense attorneys for veterans.
  • Center for Employment Homeless Court –$30,000 to support legal services for indigent participants.
  • National Conflict Resolution Center – $50,000 to aid and expand the restorative justice project for juveniles.
  • St. Vincent de Paul Village – $45,000 for backing representatives who prepare homeless clients for court.
  • The Bail Project, Inc. – $25,000 to continue bonding clients out of federal criminal custody.
  • Think Dignity – $50,000 for the Homeless Youth Legal Advocacy Project, assisting young people with a variety of criminal legal issues.

The San Diego County Bar Foundation also awarded general grants to 15 nonprofit organizations. These include:

  • Cal-Western Community Law Project – $10,000 for consultation and community legal education. Attorneys and volunteer law students provide personalized advice to low-income San Diegans.
  • Casa Cornelia – $15,000 for Victims of Crime legal services to immigrant victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and other serious crimes.
  • Center for Community Solutions – $7,500 supports no-cost pro se legal assistance, legal advocacy and direct representation for restraining orders.
  • Children’s Legal Services of San Diego – $4,980 to host informational sessions over one year to discuss legal rights and possible consequences.
  • Community Resource Center – $5,000 to provide legal assistance to 40 domestic violence survivors annually.
  • Elder Law & Advocacy – $15,000 to provide legal advice to about 8,000 low-income seniors throughout San Diego County.
  • Interfaith Community Services – $7,500 to provide professional and financial assistance for unauthorized immigrants to navigate the immigration system.
  • Jewish Family Service of San Diego – $5,000 for the San Diego Rapid Response Network, which educates, protects and assists immigrant individuals and families, including refugees and asylum seekers, with legal support and social services. 
  • Karen Organization of San Diego – $8,700 to facilitate and expand the availability of legal services and promote understanding of the law among refugees from Burma who have been resettled in San Diego.
  • Legal Aid Society of San Diego – $10,000 to continue the full operation of the San Diego County Conservatorship Assistance Program, which fields calls and answers questions from participants outside of clinic, engages in extensive outreach to community groups, and works with the Regional Center in San Diego County.
  • License to Freedom – $10,000 to provide connections to legal representation and education to the refugee immigrant community about sexual assault.
  • SD Victim Offenders Reconciliation Project – $10,000 to provide a mediation pilot program to all participants in domestic violence disputes.
  • San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program – $15,000 to continue operating the Vision for Justice Collaborative, providing representation to low-income immigrant and refugee crime victims who need civil legal assistance.
  • Southern California Immigration Project – $12,500 for pro bono legal services to asylum seekers in San Diego County.
  • Voices for Children – $15,000 to support volunteers advocating on behalf of youth who have committed minor, nonviolent offenses and are involved, or at risk of involvement, in the juvenile justice system.

Since the Foundation began its grants program in 1979, it has distributed more than $4 million to over 50 legal aid and public interest organizations. The Bar Foundation’s grants are made possible by contributions from San Diego’s legal and business communities. ICD funds are available due to the Private Conflicts Counsel program run by the San Diego County Bar Association

For more information about the San Diego County Bar Foundation, or to make a donation, visit www.sdcbf.org.

About San Diego County Bar Foundation
The San Diego County Bar Foundation is the charitable arm of the San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA). Through this partnership with the San Diego County legal community, The Bar Foundation aims to benefit underprivileged communities in the region, by providing them with access to support, funding and public service programs with legal services. The foundation’s beneficiaries include more than 50 legal aid and public interest organizations. For more information, visit www.sdcbf.org.