2013-2014 a nnual r eport - wbadc report/wbaf... · keynote speaker was bea hanson, principal...
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FOUNDATION
omen’s Bar association
Foundation
2013-2014 annual report
serving the legal and related needs of women and girls in the DC metropolitan community
Bread for the City
Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia
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MissionLeveraging the generosity of lawyers and friends to support
nonprofits that serve the legal and related needs of women and girls in the DC Metropolitan community.
From Our President The Women’s Bar Association Foundation was proud to celebrate its 33rd anniversary this year. We provided grants to seven amazing organizations and recognized them at our fifth annual Grants Award Ceremony in April. We also awarded our 8th Founders Fellowship grant, which provides a stipend to support the work of a law student from one of the six area law schools at a local nonprofit organization that serves the legal and related needs of women and girls in our community.
On both the giving and fundraising fronts, we continue to maintain our high quality programs and activities, while pursuing new efforts to increase our presence in the community and develop new sources of funding. We expanded our fundraising efforts this past year, with a new event at Bloomingdale’s in the Spring, by joining the United Way (#8914), and by participating in the Do More 24 online fundraising event.
When you give to the WBA Foundation, you leverage your contribution with those of others to make a real impact on the lives of women and girls in our community. By combining our resources, we are able to fund programs like the Neighborhood Legal Services Program’s WBAF Housing Conditions Project, the first program named after the Foundation as a funding source. The purpose of the project is to remedy dangerous housing conditions for vulnerable women and their children through direct representation and empowerment. WBAF’s grant will be used to support affirmative housing cases on behalf of women living with children in substandard conditions and assist women to become effective advocates for safer housing conditions. The program is expected to substantially improve housing conditions for at least 30 families, educate women in low income neighborhoods about their rights as tenants, and build advocacy capacity among women residents at one multi-family housing complex.
Despite the good work we have accomplished with your generous support, there is still a great need in our community. Thirty-three organizations requested a total of $253,650 in grants from the WBA Foundation during the 2013-2014 grantmaking cycle, only a fraction of which we were able to satisfy. We are diligently working to expand our fundraising efforts in order to make an even greater impact. We are grateful to our many donors who continuously help us to close this gap.
This Annual Report provides an overview of our activities for the past year, and demonstrates how we leverage the collective contributions of our donors to create a greater influence than any individual can have on her or his own. Our report also highlights the impressive programs of our grantees, who are working every day on the front lines to improve the lives of women and girls in the DC metropolitan community.
Amy L. Bess2013-2014 President
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Grantmaking Program & Grantee Awards CeremonyThe WBA Foundation’s grant process begins in the fall, with the release of a Request for Proposals. In Fall 2013, 33 organizations submitted a Letter of Intent (LOI), requesting a total of over $253,650 in support. Eight organizations were invited to submit a full grant application. Full proposals were reviewed and researched by the WBA Foundation Board of Directors, which made final funding determinations and awarded a total of $43,000 grants to seven organizations. Each year, our grantees are required to submit a year-end report of their activities conducted under the grant.
In April, we hosted the fifth annual Grant Awards Ceremony at the offices of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP. This event served to unite our grantees, supporters, and other members of the community in celebration of our seven grantees: Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, Bread for the City, Break the Cycle, DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment & Appeals Project, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, and Neighborhood Legal Services Program. A representative from each grantee provided brief remarks during the event and networked with attendees to provide additional information about their programs and services. Our distinguished keynote speaker was Bea Hanson, Principal Deputy Director, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), U.S. Department of Justice. The OVW provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims. Ms. Hanson discussed her office’s efforts and remarked that “the increased availability of legal services appears to play a particularly significant role in reducing domestic violence.”
Founders FellowshipThe Emma Gillett and Ellen Spencer Mussey Founders Fellowship, established by the WBA Foundation in 2006, was named to honor the two pioneering women who founded the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia in 1917. The Fellowship is awarded annually to support an area law student working for the summer with a local legal service provider on projects that address the legal needs of women and girls in our community. Proceeds from our Wine Tasting & Silent Auction have funded this fellowship for the past eight years.
The 2014 WBA Foundation Founders Fellowship, in the amount of $7,500, was awarded to Howard University law student Maria J. Maldonado. The Fellowship will allow Ms. Maldonado to gain invaluable legal experience working as a Summer Legal Intern at the Neighborhood Legal Services Program in the summer of 2014. The Neighborhood Legal Services Program, also a community grant recipient, provides free civil legal services to low-income residents of the District of Columbia.
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2013-2014 GranteesAsian Pacific American Legal Resource Center Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center is a 13-year-old organization whose mission is to advocate for the legal and civil rights of low-income Asian Americans with limited English proficiency in Metro DC. The Resource Center accomplishes this mission through linguistically accessible and culturally appropriate legal services, community legal education, and advocacy. The WBAF grant will support the implementation of the Justice for Filipino Teachers program, which will provide legal representation and immigration support to Filipino teachers who have been illegally trafficked into the U.S. with false promises of teaching jobs.
Bread For The City Bread for the City began as a volunteer-run, free health clinic in 1974. Over the years, their programs grew to include the addition of a legal clinic, social services program, and, most recently, an advocacy program. Bread’s mission is to provide comprehensive services to vulnerable residents of Washington, DC, including food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. The WBAF grant will assist the operation of Bread for the City’s Domestic Violence Community Legal Services Project, which serves low income minority women in their fight to obtain protection from domestic violence. @BreadfortheCity
Break The Cycle Break the Cycle believes everyone has the right to safe and healthy relationships, and its mission is to engage, educate, and empower youth to build lives and communities free from domestic violence. Break the Cycle is the leading, national nonprofit organization addressing teen dating violence. The WBAF grant will support the improved delivery and expansion of its legal services program. Break the Cycle provides representation in campus administrative proceedings, as well as family, employment, and housing matters; accompanies survivors to meet with police and/or prosecutors to report abuse and assists in criminal prosecution; and makes appropriate referrals for social services. @BreaktheCycleDV
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to address the critical shortage of legal assistance for low-income people in Washington, DC, especially in cases involving domestic violence. The WBAF grant will support the Domestic Violence Program in increasing the number of domestic violence survivors represented by its volunteer attorneys in protection order petition proceedings and related custody, divorce, and child support matters. @DCVLP
Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment & Appeals Project DV LEAP’s mission is to provide a stronger voice for justice by fighting to overturn unjust trial court outcomes; advancing legal protections for victims of domestic violence and their children though expert appellate advocacy, training lawyers, psychologists and judges on best practices; and spearheading domestic violence litigation in the Supreme Court. The WBAF grant supports its DC project, DC LEAP. @DV_LEAP
Legal Aid Society of the District Of ColumbiaFor more than 80 years, Legal Aid’s mission has been to make justice real — in individual and systematic ways — for persons living in poverty in the District of Columbia. The WBAF grant will support the Domestic Violence Underserved Communities Representation Project. The project will provide extended representation, advice, counsel, and brief assistance to clients in at least 50 cases. @LegalAidDC
Neighborhood Legal Services Program Neighborhood Legal Services Program is a private, nonprofit law firm that has been providing free civil legal services to low-income residents of the District of Columbia since 1964. The WBAF grant supports the WBAF Housing Conditions Project, whose goal is to remedy dangerous housing conditions for vulnerable women and their children through direct representation and the empowerment of women to advocate for their own rights as tenants.
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Fundraising ActivitiesWine Tasting & Auction Benefiting Founders FellowshipThe WBA Foundation hosted its 11th annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction in October. This year’s event, “Flavors of Fall” was hosted at Hogan Lovells US LLP. The tasting featured an exceptional lineup of wines from New Zealand, Europe, South America, and the United States. Representatives from The Curious Grape, a woman-owned business in Arlington, VA, guided guests through the tastings.
The annual Wine Tasting is the WBA Foundation’s largest individual fundraising event. This year it raised slightly less than $20,000 and was attended by 100 guests.
Bloomingdale’s Fundraiser In March, we hosted a new fundraiser at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase. Proceeds from the event registrations supported our grantmaking efforts. The event featured a presentation by Lauren Rothman, a local style expert and published author, who discussed creating your own personal style. Attendees received a copy of Ms. Rothman’s book, Style Bible: What to Wear to Work, courtesy of our sponsor, Navigant Consulting. The evening also included networking and an opportunity to shop at Bloomingdale’s with 10% of the sales benefitting the Foundation.
Annual Dinner Each year, the WBA Foundation joins with the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia to host a joint Annual Dinner. This event is one of the largest gatherings in the DC legal community. Judy Smith of Smith & Company, a well-known local attorney and the inspiration for the Olivia Pope character on TV’s Scandal, was recognized as the WBA’s 2014 Woman Lawyer of the Year.
The presidents of the Women’s Bar Association and the WBA Foundation presented overviews of the successes experienced by each organization during the past year. The Foundation debuted a video highlighting our 2014 grantees. Also available online at wbadcfoundation.org, the video features personal commentaries from grantees about the impact the Foundation’s donors have on each grantee’s ability to deliver services to women and girls in our community. The WBA Foundation is grateful for the generosity of over 98 organizations and individuals who sponsored our Annual Dinner.
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Contributors listed in this list participated between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2014. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. If we have made an error, please accept our apology. You may call us at 202 639 8880 so that we can correct our records.
$500 – $999Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Arnold & Porter LLPBaker & Hostetler LLP
Amy L. BessDiane M. Brenneman
Bryan Cave LLPBuckleySandler LLP
Covington & Burling LLPDLA Piper LLP
Tracy-Gene G. DurkinKenneth W. Epps
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
FTI Consulting/Compass LexeconGroom Law Group
Hilton Worldwide, Inc.Hogan Lovells US LLP
Howard University School of Law HuronLegal
Linda M. JacksonJackson & Campbell, P.C.
King & Spalding LLPKirkland & Ellis LLP
Latham & Watkins LLPLittler Mendelson P.C.
Lorelie S. Masters
M. Elizabeth MedagliaMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
LaDawn NaegleDiana Savit
Sidley Austin LLPSteptoe & Johnson LLP
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLPMarilyn Tucker
Vedder Price P.C.Venable LLP
Williams & Connolly LLPWillkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
WilmerHale
$100 – $499Ellen & Ken AdlerAin & Bank P.C.
American University Washington College of Law
Ashcraft & Gerel LLP Deborah T. Ashford
Rhoda S. BarishValerie BarrishPhilip C. Baten
Beveridge & Diamond PC Janet Blizard
Diane C. BoykinSusan G. Braden
Marjorie A. BurnettBarbara Burr
Nancy Duff CampbellMary Ann ChaffeePaulette Chapman
ClifftonLarsonAllen LLP Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP
File & ServeXpress, LLC Bernard B. Fulton III
Nina Glasner
Gray Plant Mooty Kathleen V. Gunning Sherri Evans Harris
Lisa HorowitzVivian Huelgo
Kirra JarrattDebra Jezouit
The Kaiser Law Firm PLLC Kalijarvi Chuzi Newman & Fitch PC
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP Kim KendrickGladys Kessler
Susan M.C. KovarovicsThe Law Office of Jessica E. Adler Law Offices of Alfred F. Belcuore
Bridget Bailey LipscombRebecca Liu
Nancy A. LongThe McCammon Group
Miller & Chevalier Chartered Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP
Tiffany Moore Celeste M. Murphy
Sonia Williams MurphyNarda M. Newby
Marjorie O’ConnellSuzanne Reifman
Regan Zambri Long, PLLC Jeannette Elizabeth Roach
Rebecca RucichNakeasha Sanders-Small
Pamela SatterfieldSavit & Szymkowicz, LLP
Leigh A. SempelesJoi Sheffield
Carolyn StennettLisa Stewart
Jennifer StillermanMaureen Thornton Syracuse
Andrea TecceThomson Reuters Pamela WhittakerWiley Rein LLP
Andrea D. WilliamsWilliams Bertram, PLLC Winston & Strawn LLP
Thank You To Our DonorsThe WBA Foundation funds grants and the Founders Fellowship with donations it receives from community supporters. It is through the support of committed donors that the WBA Foundation can carry on its important work. The WBA Foundation extends its gratitude to the following supporters for their generosity.
$5,000 and AboveSterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
$2,500 - $4,999Diana Davis Spencer Foundation
James Sandman
$999 - $2,499Bloomberg
Crowell & Moring LLPGibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Jennifer DuaneMcKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Navigant Consulting
The Walden TrustWeil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Page 7We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. If we have made an error, please accept our apology. You may call us at 202 639 8880 so that we can correct our records.
Up to $99Cheryl AaronJessica E. AdlerFerdose al-Taie
Jim AlegroCory Amron
LaKeitha AndersonAnonymous
Elizabeth AusternNicole M. Austin-Hillery
Kathy Barlow Melanie BatesPaula BowensNicole Brown
Leila Carter BrownBrown Advisory Ann Bushmiller
Capital Reporting Company Donnell Carr
Gaffar Chowdhury
Allison M. CohenTasha L. Cole
Doumar Martin PLLC Linda J. DreebenSuzanne B. Ducat
Debrah FarnellLinda M. FrenchTonya Gaskins
Nausheen HassanCynthia Hemphill Rhonda C. Holmes
Norma B. HutchesonEllen M. Jakovic Barbara Jarratt
Nancy M. Johnson Carol Jones
John C. Keeney Hugh Keith
Leslie J. Keyes
Luisa Lancetti Joan Lanigan
Law Counsel Staffing Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Susan LowLorna E. MaloneyMira Nan Marshall
McArthur Franklin PLLC Melonie J. McCallShawnte MitchellCarol A. Montoya
National Women’s Law Center Ellen OstrowGail Pierce
Consuela A. Pinto Laura Possessky
Paula M. PotoczakLexer I. Quamie
Eric Rice
Barbara H. SahliRita M. SampsonSudarshini SatchiRoyce Sherlock
Halima SowMarcel P. StennettAnnamaria Steward
Jay StewartMichelle C. Thomas Lucy A. Thomson
Total Document Solutions, Inc. Mary Kate Whalen
Josh & Bess WinstonJoanne W. Young Victoria ZieglerAviva E. Zierler
Wine Level
Contributors The Honorable Mary Ellen Abrecht
Naomi BaltoBorderless Thinking
Bradford Renaissance Portraits CorporationThe Honorable Diane Brenneman
Kelly BrinkleyCapital Reporting Company
Paulette ChapmanCiti Open
CurvyMama PiesDSC Consulting
Emily Bishop Interior Design, IncFederal City Caterers
Folger TheatreFriends of the WBAF at Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Golf Course Specialists/GolfDC AcademyKathy Gunning
Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens
Norma HutchesonI Ricchi
Ellen M. JakovicJenner & Block LLP
Knightsbridge Management CorporationLaw Counsel Professional Staffing
Legal Services CorporationLeslie E. Sandler Fine Jewelry and Gemstones
Kirra JarrattJulia Anne MathesonM. Elizabeth MedagliaNavigant Consulting
O SalonOlney Theatre Center
Bruce PascalPIAF Salon and Day Spa
Quiet Time QuiltsAndrew Rhim
Round House TheaterDarshini SatchiMylan SatchiDiana Savit
Shakespeare Theatre CompanyStellar Coaching
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.Joan Strand
Carolyn StennettSugarloaf Mountain VineyardMaureen Thornton Syracuse
The Cur ious GrapeThe Inn at Perry CabinThe Sulton Salon, LLC
Theater JVedder Price, P.C.Joanne W. Young
2014 Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Sponsors & Contributors
Champagne Level Invotex
Sparking Water LevelMarjorie BurnettAnne Bushmiller
Paulette ChapmanAlida M. Dagostino
Tracy-Gene G. DurkinHazel GromanKirra L. JarrattMira Marshall
Kendra MartelloLynne Milne
Mytrang NguyenMonica Parham
Ilene PriceDiana Savit
Carolyn StennettSarah Surwit
Connie BertramThe Honorable Diane M. Brenneman
Jennifer DuaneKathy Gunning
Ellen JakovicNancy Long
2013-2014 Board of Directors
Amy L. Bess President
Vedder Price P.C.
Linda M. Jackson Treasurer
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Kelly V. Brinkley Assistant TreasurerUnited Way of the
National Capital Area
Lorelie S. MastersSecretary
Jenner & Block LLP
Board Members Kathleen V. Gunning
Kirra L. Jarratt Immediate Past WBAF President
DC Bar Foundation
Nancy A. LongAmerican Association of
University Professors
M. Elizabeth Medaglia
James J. Sandman Legal Services Corporation
Sudarshini Satchi
Carolyn P. Stennett National Head Start Association
Maureen Thornton Syracuse
Andrea TecceNavigant
Gaffar ChowdhuryUnited Way National Capital Area,
Emerging Leader (ex-officio)First Financial Group
Suzanne D. ReifmanWBA Board Liaison (ex-officio)
Northrop Grumman
Women’s Bar Association Foundation 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 446
Washington, DC 20006 202-639-8880 | wbadcfoundation.org
[email protected]/WBAFoundation
@wbaf
Serving for 30 years alongside lawyers and friends of the community
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project
Break the Cycle