New CIR system name: DC Resource Bridge
The new name for the Coordinated Intake and Referral System is DC Resource Bridge. The name was selected after an extensive process that included focus groups, individual interviews, and an online survey. In total, we talked to more than 500 DC residents to get their feedback on a name that would most resonate with people who might need to access the system. Of the options presented, survey respondents said “DC Resource Bridge” was memorable, descriptive, and friendly (i.e. easy to say and understand).
The Foundation prioritized community engagement throughout this process, and we thank every person who contributed their input since we began these outreach efforts in the fall of 2021.
Scoutt Prize Nominations Due March 31
The Foundation administers the prestigious Jerrold Scoutt Prize. Given annually, the Scoutt Prize recognizes a full-time legal services lawyer who has demonstrated a career-long compassionate concern for his or her clients while exhibiting a high degree of skill in representing them.
A nominee must meet the following criteria:
He or she must be an attorney currently working full-time or who has been employed full-time for a significant portion of his or her legal career by an organization that provides direct, hands-on legal services to poor or disadvantaged persons in the District of Columbia.
The organization itself must be one that has received or is eligible for a grant from the District of Columbia Bar Foundation.
The nominee must have demonstrated a compassionate concern for his or her clients while exhibiting a high degree of skill as an attorney on their behalf.
Nominations and supporting materials for the 2025 Scoutt Prize are due to nominations@dcbarfoundation.org by March 31, 2025, at 5:00 PM. The 2025 Scoutt Prize will be presented during the DC Bar Foundation’s Fall Reception.
Save the Date: President’s Reception May 7
The DC Bar Foundation’s 77 Society provides crucial funds for our efforts to transform DC’s civil legal aid network. Members of the 77 Society generously donate $1,000 or more to the Foundation each fiscal year (October 1 – September 30), creating a necessary and steady flow of resources that help us continue our work.
Founded in 2017, the 77 Society is made up of generous members who give to the Foundation at various giving tiers: Friends of Justice ($1,000 - $2,500), Advocates of Justice ($2,500 - $4,999), Champions of Justice ($5,000 - $9,999) and Pillars of Justice ($10,000 and above).
To show our gratitude for their generosity and dedication to our work, the Foundation hosts an annual President’s Reception in their honor. Please save the date for this year's reception, taking place on May 7, 2024. If you would like to join us for the reception, please either renew your 77 Society membership, or join today.
To learn more about this opportunity, please email Daryl Byler, Director of Development and Communications, at byler@dcbarfoundation.org.
Save the Date: Avenues to Justice June 25
The Young Lawyers Network Leadership Council will host its annual Avenues to Justice event on June 25, 2025.
Avenues to Justice which raises funds for the Foundation while facilitating insightful conversations between expert panelists and speakers about civil legal aid in the District. With a catered happy hour preceding the main event, Avenues to Justice is also a great opportunity for networking and building connections among fellow justice-minded professionals in the District.
Avenues to Justice 2024 highlighted the urgent access to justice crisis facing our community and how legal services organizations are working to ensure that every resident has the means to safeguard their legacy, maintain stable housing, and provide for their loved ones.
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