DAYTON BAR FOUNDATION

A Profile of Charitable Giving

By Cheryll A. Bennett Esq. Secretary, Dayton Bar Foundation Federal Public Defender cheryll_bennett@fd.org | 937. 225.7687

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably already familiar with the Dayton Bar Association’s community involvement and the many benefits its membership offers, but, have you heard about the Dayton Bar Foundation and its impact on our society?

Established in 1984 as an arm of the Dayton Bar Association, the Dayton Bar Foundation has been instrumental in the viability of several local agencies, upon which many in our community depend for accessible legal and social services. With a mission to provide financial support to legal and lay entities, and to educational programs which focus on improving access to justice, respect for the law and the administration of justice, the Foundation has – in just the last 10 years alone – awarded more than $350,000 in grants.

Beneficiaries of the Foundation’s support, include legal entities such as Access to Justice, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), and the Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project (GDVLP); nonprofit organizations providing civil advocacy and services to low income Ohioans. In 2019, these organizations helped more than 140, 000 veterans, seniors, children and domestic violence survivors achieve justice and fairness in housing, education, healthcare, and immigrant rights.

In the social services arena, the Life Essentials Guardianship Program, (providing support for mentally incompetent seniors); Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, which provides working-poor families and low income senior citizens with case management and other supportive services, training, and emergency assistance; and, the Wills for Heroes Program which prepares essential legal documents free of charge to first responders - have all benefitted from the Foundation’s financial support.

Educationally, the Foundation has funded the Law & Leadership Institute and Miami University’s Pre-Law Center, where high school and college students receive focused guidance and counseling in law, leadership, analytical thinking, problem solving, writing skills and professionalism, geared at preparing them for future college, law school and professional success.

Funding these charities is not an easy task, and the Foundation has relied upon the financial generosity of you, the community, in addition to support from its approximately 150 Foundation Fellows to meet its needs. Foundation Fellows, a distinguished group of attorneys and judges, recognized for their demonstrated leadership, character, integrity and professional excellence throughout their careers, commit to support the Foundation’s mission with a monetary pledge, and through committee service.

For Karen Bradley, the decision to support the Foundation by becoming a Fellow was easy:

Most telling for me, was the fact that the Foundation funded various non-profit organizations which represent the vulnerable and disenfranchised. Most notable to me were Catholic Social Services, ABLE and Access to Justice organizations. As an Immigration Lawyer and an adjunct professor for the Immigration Law clinic at the University of Dayton’s Law School, I have been exposed to the work that both ABLE and Catholic Social Services perform in our community, and have even assisted them with their overflow.

But for entities like the Dayton Bar Association Foundation, support for these organizations go unmet. We are taught in law school that our work is first and foremost, advocacy, and as such, we must support and contribute to the Dayton Bar Association Foundation for the work they do, and continue to do, in providing grants to these agencies which advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society.

So, the next time you hear of the Dayton Bar Foundation, you’ll have an idea of who we are, and what we do, and maybe, you’ll be interested in joining us.

Interested in becoming a Dayton Bar Foundation Fellow? Contact: Jennifer Otchy, DBF CEO

937.222.7902 jotchy@daybar.org

*Indicates Deceased Hon. Dennis J. Adkins Deborah J. Adler Charles F. Allbery III Debra B. Armanini Adam C. Armstrong Gary W. Auman Theresa A. Baker Jonathon L. Beck Cheryll A. Bennett Erik R. Blaine Amy R. Blair Susan Blasik-Miller Robert A. Bostick Karen D. Bradley Daniel J. Brandt Joan B. Brenner Hon. James A. Brogan *Hon. James F. Cannon Hon. Anthony Capizzi Mag. Robert L. Caspar Jr. Mark R. Chilson Hon. William A. Clark Brooks A. Compton Christopher F. Cowan Jeffrey T. Cox Dale E. Creech Jr. (Ret.) Hon. Denise L. Cross F. Ann Crossman Nathan Croumer Mag. John A. Cumming Robert M. Curry Hon. Steven K. Dankof Sr. Wayne H. Dawson *Larry J Denny *Peter J. Donahue Hon. Mary E. Donovan Daryl R. Douple Hon. Frederick W. Dressel Trisha M. Duff James A. Dyer Hon. Christopher B. Epley Lauren Kay Epperley Lee C. Falke *Robert N. Farquhar Charles J. Faruki Mag. Gina A. Feller Hon. Patrick J. Foley Gary L. Froelich Hon. Jeffrey E. Froelich *Richard L. Furry Mag. Joseph S. Gallagher Charles F. Geidner Caroline H. Gentry Hon. Barbara P. Gorman Thomas M. Green David C. Greer Lawrence J. Greger Ted Gudorf Dennis E. Gump Christine M. Haaker Robert J. Hadley Aaron Paul Hartley R. Mark Henry J. Stephen Herbert J. Michael Herr Ralph E. Heyman Victor A. Hodge Louis I. Hoffman *Nicholas C. Hollenkamp Carol J. Holm Hon. Mary Kate Huffman Hon. Guy R. Humphrey Thomas J. Intili D. Jeffrey Ireland David E. Izor Matthew R. Jenkins Thomas E. Jenks William A. Jividen Joseph Steven Justice Keith R. Kearney Ronald Keener Anne P. Keeton James W. Kelleher Thomas W. Kendo Jr. Hon. John W. Kessler Scott A. King Thomas A. Knoth James G. Kordik John R. Koverman Jr. Leo F. Krebs Hon. Michael W. Krumholtz Laurence A. Lasky *Kennedy Legler Gary J. Leppla Dennis A. Lieberman Hon. James F. Long Kermit F. Lowery L. Anthony Lush Jane M. Lynch Michelle M. Maciorowski Barry W. Mancz Dianne F. Marx Craig T. Matthews Brandon C. McClain Hon. Alice O. McCollum Hon. Frances E. McGee Glen R. McMurry Jeffrey R. McQuiston Hon. John M. Meagher Alan F. Meckstroth Hon. Michael R. Merz David P. Mesaros Mag. Arvin S. Miller lll Michael B. Miller Hon. Mary E. Montgomery *Hon. Robert L. Moore Ronald E. Mount Jeffrey A. Mullins James T. Neef Hon. Michael J. Newman Bruce I. Nicholson Victoria L. Nilles Thomas R. Noland Hon. Timothy N. O’Connell Hon. Thomas M. O’Diam Stephen Patrick O’Keefe Alvarene N. Owens Hon. Gerald Parker Richard P. Perna *Hon. John S. Pickrel Denise L. Platfoot Lacey John D. Poley *Hon. Connie Price Testerman Lynn M. Reynolds Walter Reynolds Bonnie Beaman Rice Cassandra A. Rice Hon. Walter Herbert Rice H. Pete Rife Hon. Adele M. Riley Jon Paul Rion John H. Rion Paul B. Roderer Paul B. Roderer Jr. William A. Rogers Jr. Marshall D. Ruchman John M. Ruffolo Marybeth W. Rutledge Edwin L. Ryan Jr. Beth W. Schaeffer Gary C. Schaengold Jon M. Sebaly Todd D. Severt Edward L. Shank Carl D. Sherrets *Charles D. Shook Jeffrey B. Shulman Hon. Gregory F. Singer Hon. Richard S. Skelton Ralph A. Skilken Jr. Charles W. Slicer Sr. Jeffrey D. Slyman Edward M. Smith Hon. Susan D. Solle Brian A. Sommers Mary K.C. Soter Paul H. Spaeth Andrew C. Storar Nicholas E. Subashi Hon. David G. Sunderland Robert Surdyk Jeffrey A. Swillinger Bridget A. Tracy Louis E. Tracy Hon. Michael L. Tucker H. Charles Wagner Christopher A. Walker *Hugh E. Wall III Brian D. Weaver D K Wehner (Ret.) Ellen C. Weprin Gary J. Weston Thomas P. Whelley ll Merle F. Wilberding Brian L. Wildermuth David P. Williamson Hon. Mary L. Wiseman Hon. William H. Wolff Jr. Michael L. Wright Fredric L. Young *Steven E. Yuhas Patricia A. Zimmer