As members of the Fresno County Legal Professionals Association (“FCLPA”), WJH legal staff’s commitment to providing valuable service reaches beyond the four walls of the office. In January, the Firm’s FCLPA members visited the Ronald McDonald House of the Central Valley to help host “Meals From The Heart.” Volunteers prepared lunch and dinner for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. They also collected donations for a food and toy drive.

Each year hundreds of families stay at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Central Valley, a non-profit refuge for those with children receiving hospital treatment. The Meals From The Heart program provides families the opportunity to eat a warm, home-cooked meal after a day in a stressful hospital environment. The program is also a great opportunity for local groups, such as the FCLPA, to give back to the community and support people in need of assistance.

WJH recently hosted a job shadow program for students enrolled in the Law Lab at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology (“CART”).  The afternoon job shadow program gave students an opportunity to see all the types of jobs that it takes to run a professional office.

CART is a high school program jointly operated by Fresno and Clovis Unified School Districts.  Juniors and seniors from all high schools in both districts can elect to spend half of their school day at CART, which offers career-specific laboratories and academic credit for advanced English, science, math, and technology.

WJH is an active supporter of CART community programs.  Last fall, WJH attorneys Jay Christofferson, Jennifer Delarosa, Lawrence Liu, and Richard Shreiba volunteered in CART’s third annual Social Justice Project.  Groups of Law Lab students were tasked with developing a policy to address a topic of local teen concern, such as bullying, teen homelessness, or mental health.  Under the attorneys’ mentorship, students explored their topic and prepared a presentation about implementing a realistic public policy.  The students then gave a presentation to community leaders, including judges and school board members.