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Grant sponsors free legal help in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 12, 2004 - Alcoa Foundation today announced that it has awarded a $3,000 grant to the Allegheny County Bar Foundation to help support pro bono legal counsel through the Bar foundation’s Center for Volunteer Legal Resources.
The grant is part of Alcoa Foundation’s commitment to actively invest in the quality of life in Alcoa communities worldwide.
Each year, thousands of low-income residents in Allegheny County go without the legal representation they need because they cannot afford it. In response, the Allegheny County Bar Foundation established the Center for Volunteer Legal Resources in 1990 to encourage volunteerism and community service in the county’s legal community.
The center works directly with 14 community organizations to provide pro bono legal counsel to segments of the Allegheny County population who need legal services including orphaned children, recent immigrants, and new and low-budget charitable organizations. The member organizations screen eligible clients and place them with volunteer attorneys through this program. The center then provides malpractice insurance to the attorneys as well as discounts for training programs and recognition ceremonies.
“The Allegheny County Bar Foundation is grateful for this grant that will help us as we handle nearly 10,000 pro bono cases per year,” said Executive Director David A. Blaner. “Our attorneys provide a wide range of legal services to low-income clients in Allegheny County including help with bankruptcy, divorce, guardianship, protection from abuse, and taxation issues.”
The mission of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation is to be a driving force in promoting justice for all and to improve the community through public service law-related programs as the charitable arm of the Allegheny County Bar Association. To fulfill this mission, the Foundation raises, manages, and distributes funds, encourages and assists lawyers to provide pro bono legal services and develops and supports public information initiatives. For more information, visit www.acbf.org.
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