Giving Back

WITHIN THE PAST YEAR

Black Lives Matter / NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund / Color of Change

In order to help with their efforts to build a more just society, Eric made contributions to Black Lives Matter; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; and Color of Change.

Lawyers’ Campaign Against Hunger / Maryland Food Bank

Through the Lawyers’ Campaign Against Hunger, Eric again supported the Maryland Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank, which provide food for hungry Marylanders and people in Metropolitan Washington.

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, INC.

Eric was happy to support this organization, which supplies legal services to those who would otherwise not be able to afford them.

UNICEF

The Stravitz Law Firm financially supported this effort to assist the millions of refugees around the world.

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

Eric supported the Brady Center in its efforts to reduce unintended gun-related deaths or injuries.

Tennis Alliance of Anne Arundel County

Eric continued to support the Tennis Alliance in its efforts to bring a public tennis facility to Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

This organization helps our returning troops who suffer from brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder find the resources to cope with their conditions. As a lawyer who has seen the toll that brain injuries and PTSD can take on people through his clients who have suffered from these conditions, Eric was pleased to support the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

The Light House

Along with his daughter, Eric interviewed the Executive Director of this wonderful Annapolis organization that houses and provides pathways for homeless citizens to improve their lives. Eric felt blessed to be able to contribute to its mission.

WAMU

As the area’s leading NPR station, WAMU does an admirable job of providing “real news” to area residents. SLF is pleased to support its mission.

Capitol Area Food Bank

Eric was pleased to support this important food bank’s mission in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area.

PAST YEARS

Children’s National Medical Center

The Stravitz Law Firm was pleased to give to this hospital through the Trial Lawyers of Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC.

Texas Family Safety Foundation Hurricane Relief Fund

The Stravitz Law Firm provided funds to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey.

24 Hours of Tennis

Eric played at this event and donated funds for the creation of an public indoor tennis center in Anne Arundel County, which currently has none.

Lupus Foundation of America

Eric supported the Lupus Foundation through a donation as part of the 2015, 2016, & 2017 DC Walk to End Lupus Now.

Homeless DC Residents

Eric has donated to Capitol Hill Group Ministry, which helps homeless men, women and children in the District. As an example, its “Shirley’s Place Day Center” provided over 2,500 people with support services and tools like counseling, life-skills training, parenting workshops, and job search assistance.

Autism

Eric has supported the Organization for Autism Research. OAR’s mission is to apply research to the challenges of autism. The mission of “applying” research to answer questions of daily concern for those living with autism drives each of the goals and objectives that define OAR’s programs and determine its budget.

OAR’s defines applied research as research that directly impacts the day-to-day quality of life of learners with autism. It entails the systematic investigation of variables associated with positive outcomes in such areas as education, communication, self care, social skills, employment, behavior, and adult and community living. In this context, it extends to issues related to family support, the efficacy of service delivery systems, and demographic analyses of the autism community.

In simplest terms, applied autism research is practical research that examines issues and challenges that children and adults with autism and their families face everyday.

Cancer

It would be difficult to imagine a life not touched, in some way, by cancer. It is the second leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for over 500,000 deaths each year. Eric has supported the American Cancer Society. ACS is a nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

Special Olympics

The concept of the Special Olympics began in the early 1960’s when Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a day camp for individuals with developmental disabilities. The first national meet was held at Soldier Field in Chicago in 1968 for 1,000 athletes from the United States and Canada. Today, there are Special Olympics programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 150 different countries around the world. We are pleased to support the Special Olympics with donations to help purchase uniforms, to provide equipment and transportation to events, to provide food and awards, and to pay umpires and referees. Eric has supported this worthy cause.

Komen Race for the Cure

Eric is pleased to have supported the Susan G. Komen in its quest to fund vital breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs, and national research initiatives to find a cure for breast cancer.

Smoke Alarm Safety Program

Eric is pleased to have contributed the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association (“MTLA”)¹ Annual Smoke Alarm Safety Program. For this program, MTLA joined forces with the Safe Kids Coalition and the Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Fire Departments to purchase and distribute working smoke detectors to needy families. The impact of smoke alarms on fire safety and protection is dramatic. When fire breaks out, the smoke alarm, acting as an early warning system, reduces the risk of death by nearly 50 percent. Alarms are the first line of defense against a fire. In the event of a fire, properly installed and maintained smoke alarms provide an early warning signal to a household. This alarm could save lives.

¹Now called the Maryland Association for Justice (“MAJ”).

Safe Kids Week Bike Helmet Project

Eric is pleased to have supported the MTLA Bike Helmet Project. Children should wear bike helmets on every ride. This project allows many needy families to get bike helmets for their children. It is a myth that slow riders don’t need helmets. Serious head injuries, including death or brain injuries, can occur even when a person is riding slowly, if they crash without a helmet.

Some facts about bike riding and helmets:

• There are 85 million bicycle riders in the US.
• 784 bicyclists died on US roads in 2005. 92% of them (720) died in crashes with motor vehicles.
• About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.
• 1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries has a brain injury.
• Two-thirds of the deaths are from traumatic brain injury.
• A very high percentage of cyclists’ brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent.

Leukemia & Lymphoma

Eric is pleased to have supported Light the Night, a fund-raiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The LLS “Light The Night Walk” is a national attempt to raise awareness of blood cancers and financially support research for cures.

Walkers carry illuminated balloons – white for survivors and red for supporters – to celebrate and commemorate lives touched by cancer. Funds raised by participants support the Society’s mission: cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.