Children’s Law Center Annual Holiday Party

Dear Friends of Bay Area Legal Services,

The L. David Shear Children’s Law Center (CLC) of Bay Area Legal Services (BALS) opened in 2006 with one attorney and one legal assistant. The CLC has grown considerably over the past 19 years and now has a team of 13 members that includes attorneys, social workers, a paralegal, and legal assistants. Our team’s expansion means that our attorneys can develop specialization in some of the areas that children and families in our community face—domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, medical adversity—with the goal of improving life outcomes by amplifying the voices of the clients we serve and advocating for their legal interests.

Some highlights from this past year of how our representation has made a difference:

• Carmen was exposed to human trafficking during her first 8 years of life but due to our consistent and dedicated efforts, she’s now living in a supportive and loving home with her grandmother, attending school regularly and cheerleading.
• Joseph, Christine, Jennifer, and Thomas came into foster care with extreme and varying developmental, medical, and emotional needs but our advocacy ensured that they remained in the same placement with targeted services and all of the children have grown exponentially and will soon be adopted by their foster parents.
• Aiden, Bria, and Gio were almost left homeless upon aging out of foster care but our championing protected their legal right to services and benefits available to them ensuring housing provided, continuation of services and court oversight remained.

The CLC’s annual holiday party is on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This year we will host a Winter Wonderland with snow and other goodies for our clients and their families. We can’t make this party successful without your support. Your gift helps us pay for event space, craft supplies, and food/beverages.

You may also donate a book from our Amazon Wishlist, which will be provided to children at the holiday party.

Thanking you in advance for your generous support. For more information about donating, please reach out to Ashley Duncan at 813-227-9050 ext. 110 or Lisa Cribbs at ext. 107. All sponsors will be recognized on the BALS website as supporters of children in need in our community. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Heather Tager
Managing Attorney

Make a donation to the L. David Shear Children's Law Center Annual Holiday Party!

To donate by mail, please make your check out to Bay Area Legal Services with "CLC Holiday Party" in the memo line. Send to:

Bay Area Legal Services
1302 N 19th Street
Suite 400
Tampa, FL 33605

REQUIRED NOTICES:
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (1-800-435-7352) WITHIN FLORIDA. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. REGISTRATION # CH1969.AS A CONDITION OF THE FUNDING RECEIVED BY THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION (LSC), BAY AREA LEGAL SERVICES MAY NOT EXPEND ANY FUNDS FROM WHATEVER SOURCE FOR ANY ACTIVITY PROHIBITED BY THE LSC ACT OR BY PUBLIC LAW 105-119. BAY AREA LEGAL SERVICES DOES NOT UTILIZE THE SERVICES OF PROFESSIONAL SOLICITORS AND THEREFORE RECEIVES 100% OF EACH CONTRIBUTION.