The New York Bar Foundation Awards $385,000 in Charitable and Educational Grants

ALBANY, NY (05/09/2013)(readMedia)-- Sixty-six organizations across New York State have received grants totaling $385,000, The New York Bar Foundation announced today.

"We are pleased to provide financial support that will benefit children and adults throughout our communities in New York State," said Bar Foundation President Cristine Cioffi (Cioffi•Slezak•Wildgrube). "The generosity of the Foundation's donors helps local organizations provide legal representation to the underserved, and supports legal education. Lawyers do care and do share."

Several grants will support programs that provide access to justice to domestic violence victims, to low-income immigrants, and older individuals who are neglected or abused. Portions of grant funding also will help those seeking legal assistance with bankruptcy, foreclosures, debt collection, consumer debt and legal guardianships for disabled children.

Funding for the projects comes from contributions to The Foundation by lawyers, law firms, corporations and others. Lucia B. Whisenand, who chairs the Foundation's Grants Committee, noted that during the past three years, The Foundation awarded $3 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations. One-hundred percent of the funds contributed are awarded to beneficiary organizations.

Grantees include:

First Judicial District (Manhattan): Brennan Center for Justice; Center for Court Innovation; Center for Family Representation; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); Edwin Gould Services for Children & Families; Goddard Riverside Community Center; Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society; LatinoJustice PRLDEF; Lawyers for Children; Legal Action Center; Legal Information for Families Today; Lenox Hill Neighborhood House; National Center for Law & Economic Justice; New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation; New York County Lawyers' Association; New York Legal Assistance Group; Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation; Partnership for the Homeless; Pro Bono Net; Safe Horizon; Selfhelp Community Services; The Door – A Center of Alternatives; The Legal Aid Society; Urban Justice Center; Volunteers of Legal Service.

Second Judicial District (Kings County): Brooklyn Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project; Center for Court Innovation; South Brooklyn Legal Services; Children Law's Center; George Walker Jr. Community Coalition.

Third Judicial District (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster counties): Albany County Bar Association; Bethlehem Youth Court; Capital District Women's Bar Association; Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York; New York State Bar Association, Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction; New York State Bar Association, Committee on Diversity; New York State Bar Association, Law, Youth & Citizenship Program (PATCH); New York State Bar Association, Law, Youth & Citizenship Program Mock Trial; New York State Bar Association, Law, Youth & Citizenship Program Mock Trial Summer Institute; New York State Defenders Association; Prisoners' Legal Services of New York; Worker Justice Center of New York.

Fourth Judicial District (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington counties): Cornell Cooperative Extension, Warren County.

Seventh Judicial District (Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Yates counties): CASA of the Southern Tier; Center for Youth Services; Empire Justice Center; Hillside Children's Foundation; Legal Assistance of Western New York; Legal Aid Society of Rochester; Lifespan of Greater Rochester; Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County.

Eighth Judicial District (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming counties): Genesee County CASA For Children; Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo; Legal Services for the Elderly, Disabled or Disadvantaged of Western New York; National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York; Partnership for Ontario County; Police Athletic League of Niagara Falls; Wyoming County Youth Bureau.

Ninth Judicial District (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester counties): Mental Health Association of Westchester.

Tenth Judicial District (Nassau, Suffolk counties): Bellport Area Community Action Committee; Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee; Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation.

Eleventh Judicial District (Queens County): MinKwon Center for Community Action.

Twelfth Judicial District (Bronx County): Bronx Defenders; Center for Court Innovation; Smart Small, Think Big.

The New York Bar Foundation is dedicated to aiding charitable and educational projects to meet the law-related needs of the public and the legal profession. To learn more about The New York Bar Foundation and how you can support its charitable programs, go to www.tnybf.org, phone 518/487-5651 or email nybarfoundation@tnybf.org.

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