The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) has announced grants to 11 nonprofit organizations, totaling more than $426,000, which will help fund legal aid for low-income Texas veterans. With these grants, public interest and pro bono lawyers will be able to provide legal representation to Texas veterans with basic civil legal problems such as denial of benefits or disability, family law matters arising from deployment, and other issues that may arise due to a veteran’s absence from home during military service.
The Texas Access to Justice Commission—through its Champions of Justice Gala—raised more than $340,000 in 2013 from law firms and corporate sponsors. Now in its fourth year, the Champions of Justice Gala has raised more than $1.4 million for veterans’ legal services since its inception. Along with funding from the Gala and additional support from the TAJF, the Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas also donated funds to support the grants to the selected nonprofit organizations.
The nonprofits receiving grant awards include:
- Baylor University School of Law, Waco
- Cathedral Justice Project, Houston
- Community Justice Program, San Antonio
- Fort Bend Lawyers Care, Richmond
- Houston Bar Foundation, Houston
- Jefferson County Bar Foundation, Beaumont
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Fort Worth (also includes North Texas, Panhandle)
- Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston (includes East Texas)
- Oficina Legal del Pueblo Unido Inc., Austin, South Texas
- Tarrant County Bar Foundation, Fort Worth
- Texas Legal Services Center, Austin (statewide)
“These legal aid programs will provide civil legal services for those who have served our country and deserve our attention,” Richard L. Tate, chair of the board of directors of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, said.