For the second consecutive year, the South Campus Family Empowerment Center has been honored by the Tarrant County Bar Association for its aid in providing help for those who most need it and who most deserve it – Armed Forces veterans and their families.
The Bar’s Pro Bono Award in the category of community partner was presented to Tarrant County College by Elizabeth Banda, the association’s communications director. Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Elva LeBlanc accepted on behalf of the College and was accompanied by President Peter Jordan, Director of Campus and Community Outreach in the Family Empowerment Center Nicole Minor, and her assistant Amalia Guadalupe.
“This is for our work hosting and partnering with the Bar Association for free legal clinics for veterans and spouses of deceased veterans,” Minor said. “The Family Empowerment Center has hosted a total of 16 such clinics.”
Over the years, she said, the clinics have served almost 500 individuals.
“Some of it has to do with marital law, custody, child support,” she said. “Some of it involves trying to transition from military to civilian but then having legal issues as a military person.”
The clinics are staffed by a group of attorneys calling themselves Texas Lawyers for Texas Vets. “Consultations cover a wide variety of legal issues, Minor said, “but the one thing that is out of scope for the free legal clinics at present is veterans’ benefits. That has to go through the government agency.”