The Legal Aid Programs in Broward County will join together to host their annual Bridge to Justice breakfast fundraiser, which honors the partnership between the legal and business communities. During the event on Friday, June 3, at Signature Grand in Davie, the organizations will honor entrepreneur, philanthropist and former all-pro Miami Dolphins linebacker John Offerdahl (pictured) with the Bridge to Justice Award. The award recognizes and highlights the vital work an individual has done to build connections and resources in Broward County.
“Throughout his entire adult life John had devoted himself to assisting the most vulnerable in our community,” Douglas Reynolds says, Board Chair of Legal  Aid Service of Broward County. “During the past twenty years John has been  a never ending bridge of resources to foster care, family and  homeless agencies. John and his wife Lynn established the Offerdahl Hand Off Foundation in 2012  to help families become self-supportive by providing housing and educational resources, including the Broward College Offerdahl Scholarship. During the past two years of the pandemic, John launched a significant undertaking by providing more than a million meals to our frontline healthcare providers and at risk population. We cannot think of a more worthy candidate to receive this award.”
Guests will also hear from Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Gilbert King during the breakfast program. He will share his perspective blending his gift for narrative with his knowledge of civil rights cases. King has written about race, civil rights and the death penalty for the New York Times, The Washington Post and The Atlantic. He also contributes to The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. King will also unveil his most recent project during the program.
The annual Bridge to Justice Breakfast increases awareness and raises critical funds for Legal Aid programs in Broward. The morning program will spotlight the vital work of these organizations to assist vulnerable and underserved populations in Broward. Proceeds from the event will benefit the more than 20,000 children, seniors, veterans, homeless persons, victims of domestic violence and other crimes, unaccompanied immigrant minors and persons living with HIV/AIDS served by Legal Aid Service of Broward County and Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida each year.
The breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m. with coffee and networking and the breakfast and program start at 8 a.m. Individual tickets are $80 and are available at Browardlegalaid.org/10th-bridge-to-justice/
Event sponsors include JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Jacquelyn & Bruce Rogow, Setnor Byer Insurance and Risk, Shutts, Florida Power, and Light, GlantzLaw, Kim Vaughan Lerner, Tripp Scott, Valley Bank, Daily Business Review, South Florida Business & Wealth, Birnbaum, Lippman, Gregoire PLLC, Centennial Bank, Kelley Kronenberg, Kelley Legal, Law Office of Diana Santa Maria, Nelson Mullins, Truist Bank, Van Horn Law Group, Joshua Levenson, Esq., Law Offices of Khani & Auerbach, The Quackenbush Law Firm and Rosen Injury Law, PA.
