The Venable Foundation, Inc. Awards an Impact Grant of $750,000 Benefiting Five Legal Aid Organizations in Baltimore, DC, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TheVenable Foundation, Inc., the philanthropic arm of the law firm Venable LLP, is pleased to announce it will award a one-time impact grant of $750,000 benefiting five legal aid organizations in the firm's respective communities, including Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.  The following grant recipients will each receive $150,000: Bay Area Legal Aid, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, The Legal Aid Society – New York, and Maryland Legal Aid.

"There is great need in our local communities, particularly by the poor and the underserved who need legal representation.  Giving is at the core of who we are and what we do," said Lindsay B. Meyer, president of The Venable Foundation.  "We are proud to support the important work of these five legal aid organizations."

Robert L. Waldman, vice president of The Venable Foundation, added, "This grant is part of our long tradition of unparalleled giving, which complements the pro bono legal work, community service, volunteer time, and board service of Venable's attorneys and staff."

"Today's grants will help the recipients expand the reach of their legal services to those whose needs would otherwise go unmet," said Stuart P. Ingis, chairman of Venable LLP.  "Our partners are very proud to support the valuable work these organizations are doing in our communities."

The legal aid organizations plan to use the grant money in the following ways:

• Bay Area Legal Aid plans to use the investment to help relief efforts in California for those who suffered from the recent devastation of the fires that struck in the Bay Area.  The organization helps the working poor, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities, with issues involving immigration, healthcare access, consumer protection, domestic violence, economic justice, housing preservation, juvenile justice, and poverty-driven health problems.

• Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia plans to use the investment to provide low-income immigrants in the District of Columbia with increased access to legal services, including immigration-specific issues like T-visas, U-visas, and VAWA petitions, as well as access to safety net benefits, counsel in domestic violence and family law cases, and assistance with powers of attorney.  Founded in 1932, the organization is the oldest and largest general civil legal services program in the nation's capital.  Its lawyers help "make justice real," in individual and systemic ways, for low-income DC residents in housing, domestic violence, family law, public benefits, and consumer law matters.

• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles plans to use the investment to support its existing Veterans Justice Center program, which helps veterans with life-sustaining housing, income, and health benefits.  The organization serves more than 80,000 people, including more than 10,400 children, throughout Los Angeles County through domestic violence clinics, self-help legal access centers, and offices providing legal services related to eviction defense, family law, veterans law, and Asian and Pacific Islander community outreach.

• The Legal Aid Society – New York plans to use the investment to support its Homeless Rights Project, which helps to improve access to shelter for low-income New Yorkers.  Through its civil, criminal, and juvenile rights practices, The Legal Aid Society represents clients throughout New York City in more than 300,000 cases and matters annually, more than any other legal services organization in the country.

• Maryland Legal Aid plans to use the investment to create a Venable Innovation Project (VIP) fund to support free civil legal services to Maryland's poor and vulnerable communities.  Now in its 106th year, Maryland Legal Aid offers a variety of services ranging from information and referrals and brief legal advice to extended legal representation, litigation, community education, policy advocacy, and broad-based impact work.  Areas of priority include family, housing, government benefits, employment, and consumer law.  Maryland Legal Aid operates 12 full-service offices serving communities in all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City and partners with locally-based organizations to deliver legal services in non-traditional settings.

The Foundation, now in its 35th year, has contributed more than $25 million in the last 10 years to a wide variety of organizations.  Established in 1983, the Foundation supports an expansive range of civic, cultural, and charitable endeavors, as well as public interest law and legal education.  These include children's services and funding for disadvantaged families and individuals; homeless shelters and food programs; community organizations, hospitals, hospices, and local chapters of national health organizations; and educational, artistic, and cultural events and organizations.  The Foundation is supported by contributions from partners of Venable LLP, an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC.  For decades, the Foundation was led by former Venable partner and former Attorney General of the United States Benjamin R. Civiletti.  His leadership and stewardship of the Foundation set the standard for today's Venable partnership.

Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs and individuals.  With over 600 attorneys in nine offices across the country, including California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients' business objectives in the U.S. and around the globe.  Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines.  For more information, please visit www.venable.com.

Contact: Marichelli Hughes, 1-202-344-4900, mahughes@venable.com

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