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Feature TYLA Affiliate

Cameron County Young Lawyers Association Lawyers Lending Hands Project
By:  Noemi Garcia

For a second year in a row, the Cameron County Young Lawyers Association participated in their Lawyers Lending Hands community service project. The goal of the project is to educate victims of domestic violence about their legal rights. Several volunteer lawyers visited the Cameron County Friendship of Women Shelter and Family Crisis Centers to educate the residents on what victims of domestic violence can expect when using the courts to obtain a protective order, temporary restraining order, and a divorce. The CCYLA members participated in a question and answer session with the residents as well as presented a video titled Healing the Wounds - Navigating the Legal System After Surviving Domestic Abuse produced by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and Texas Bar Foundation.

CCYLA members also handed out care packages to the residents plus clothes and shoes to the children at the shelters during their visits. The care packages contained toiletry items such as shampoo, soap, lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste. Although these toiletry items are common in our everyday living, some residents arrive at the shelter with only the clothes on their backs and their children in hand attempting to escape the violence at home. It was our hope that these toiletry items, clothes, and legal information would help smooth the transition of the residents into the shelter and provide some comfort during their stay.

CCYLA was extremely fortunate to receive a huge donation of over 100 new children pajamas, beanies, and scarves from the Brownsville Parks and Recreation Department in connection with the project. All items were donated to the shelters for their residents' use. Together with monetary and individually donated items from the community, CCYLA members were able to donate over 50 care packages and boxes of clothes, shoes, and toys for the children at the shelters.