Providing Assistance to Catholic Charities of Oregon
Foster Garvey is proud of its longstanding relationship with Catholic Charities of Oregon (“Catholic Charities”), through which the firm assists on a variety of pro bono matters, both small and large. Catholic Charities provides essential, life-changing services to the most vulnerable Oregonians. These services include affordable and supportive housing, legal services, refugee resettlement and many others. The organization was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression and has been a steadfast ally of the poor and marginalized since its inception.
Recently, Foster Garvey’s involvement has been focused on working with Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services division and furthering the development of the organization’s immigration strategy, which has included meeting with senior management and organizing pro bono consulting services from the former Executive Director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. The firm has also provided advice and representation to Catholic Charities and its dedicated housing entity, Caritas Housing, which has acquired, developed, rehabilitated and managed more than 1,200 affordable housing units across the state.
Foster Garvey’s partnership with Catholic Charities is made possible in large part because of the firm’s Next Chapter program, which supports retired and senior Foster Garvey attorneys in their pro bono initiatives and community service activities. John Hoerster (Public Service Counsel, Seattle) and Cinda Fernald (Counsel, Seattle) are examples of Next Chapter members who have devoted their time and insights to this important work with Catholic Charities.
Additionally, former long-time Foster Garvey attorney Bob Weaver is currently serving as General Counsel of Catholic Charities on a volunteer basis. He and some of his past Foster Garvey colleagues, including Eryn Karpinski Hoerster (Principal, Portland), Tom Scott (Principal, Portland) and Joy Ellis (Principal, Portland) are among those who have also supported Catholic Charities recently, along with several others over the years.
Foster Garvey looks forward to continuing to serve Catholic Charities and its clients and communities well into the future.