Supporting the good work done by The Legal Aid Society of The Orange County Bar Association

Imagine your normal day…the alarm clock goes off; you try to decide which of the myriad choices in your well stocked fridge you will have for breakfast. Are you going to pack your lunch or pick something up while at work? Ugh, work. So many meetings today! Your significant other greets you with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. Your kids are moving slowly, but somehow, everyone gets fed, clothed, in the car on time and another “normal” day is underway. You’ll figure out the meetings, work will be accomplished, the bank will ensure that all the bills you set for autopay get handled and you will come back to your home, complete with functioning utilities. Maybe you wish you made more to save up for a nice vacation, but you know your rent or mortgage will be paid on time.

This scenario is unfortunately not normal for many people in our community. The child in foster care who shuttles his or her belongings in a trash bag from placement to placement who has already endured abuse or neglect and does not know where they will end up next. The victim of domestic violence in need of shelter and security to start life over again. The victim of human trafficking who has no identification, no access to counseling, no safe space to begin recovery. The veteran who served combat tours in service to his country, but his paperwork was misplaced, and he is therefore not receiving needed benefits. The single mom who works an hourly job at a local establishment enjoyed by a thriving tourist trade who didn’t make the money she expected because a hurricane cut her hours short, and she now stares at an eviction notice.   These are but a small sampling of the people in our community who receive high quality legal services, free of charge, from the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association (LASOCBA). LASOCBA helps these individuals get back to stability, safety and security. In many cases, back to some sense of normalcy.

LASOCBA was created in the 1960s by the leadership of the Orange County Bar Association. These individuals were well ahead of their time making pro bono service mandatory for membership in the organization. To satisfy this requirement, members may take two cases annually or pay a small fee in lieu of pro bono service. In the past 12 months, LASOCBA has handled more than 4,000 cases in Central Florida and assisted more than 1,500 children. The organization helps provide stability for low-income residents, children and disadvantaged groups who might otherwise get lost in the legal system, or not have access to it at all. Are these cases difficult and heartbreaking to handle? Absolutely. Are they some of the most rewarding you can be involved in? Absolutely.

Like other non-profit organizations, LASOCBA relies on donations to meet its mission. I am so grateful that ADRsource understands the importance of the work being done by LASOCBA and was a sponsor of its largest annual fundraiser, the Breakfast of Champions. I am also grateful that ADRsource supports me in my service on the Board of Trustees of LASOCBA and my continuing work as a court appointed Guardian ad Litem. If you, too, would like to support LASOCBA, click here: Donate Today - The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc.