The New York Bar Foundation Presents Grant to the New York State Defenders Association

ALBANY, NY (06/24/2020) (readMedia)-- The New York Bar Foundation (Bar Foundation) and the Family Law Section Fund recently presented a grant of $6,000 to the New York State Defenders Association (NYSDA). The grant will be used to support our Family Public Defense Project.

"We are so grateful to the Bar Foundation and the Family Law Section Fund for awarding us this grant. The funds will be used to assist family court defenders in providing high quality representation to their clients by arming them with necessary skills and information through our continuing legal education (CLE) programs," said NYSDA's Executive Director, Susan C. Bryant. She went on, "in these uncertain times caused by the COVID-19 virus, which has resulted in massive job loss and disrupted child care, the systemic obstructions that affect our poor and minority clients are magnified, as families struggle to stay together. We have heard stories of child protective agencies knocking on the doors in disadvantaged communities, questioning parents as to why their children are not being homeschooled when they do not even own a computer, or have barely enough money to feed their children."

Bar Foundation grants assist non-profit organizations with essentials-of-life issues such as child support, consumer debt, housing, access to health care and education, and family matters such as domestic violence and family stability.

The New York Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is the charitable arm of the New York State Bar Association. Established in 1950, the Foundation is dedicated to aiding charitable and educational projects to meet the law-related needs of the public and the legal profession. At a time when the help of legal services organizations are in great demand, the Bar Foundation has established a COVID-19 Emergency Legal Relief Fund. Donations to the fund will assist New Yorkers across New York State in need of legal services due to the impacts of COVID-19 through their grant program. Donations can be made at https://givetnybf.swell.gives/. To learn more about the Foundation visit www.tnybf.org. To learn about the Family Law Section Fund and to give to this fund click here.

NYSDA, a not-for-profit, membership organization, has been providing support to New York's public defense community since 1967. Our mission is to improve the quality and scope of publicly supported legal representation to low income people. To learn more about NYSDA, its Family Public Defense Project, Public Defense Backup Center, and Veterans Defense Program, visit www.nysda.org.

-30-