Support services that change lives beyond the courtroom.
MPD’s clients bring resilience, determination, and strength to every challenge they face. Your donation helps provide the civil legal services, case management, and direct support that make lasting stability possible, and that the state does not fund.
Where your donation goes: All contributions support community programs only: holistic defense, civil legal services, case management, and client support. Donations do not fund criminal or juvenile defense work, which is constitutionally mandated and provided through state funding. Your gift has no bearing on Oregon’s access-to-counsel crisis and juvenile proceedings.
Why it matters:
Housing advocacy, immigration services, barrier reduction, case management, and direct support don’t just change individual lives; they strengthen the communities we all share. None of these programs receive state funding. Your gift makes them possible.
100% of donated funds support community services programs. Criminal and juvenile defense is separately and fully funded by the state of Oregon and is not affected by private contributions. Unrestricted gifts may be directed to any of the three program areas at organizational discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question not answered here? Reach out to MPD at development@mpdlaw.com.
About Our Programs
No. Criminal and juvenile defense are constitutionally mandated services, which means they are fully funded by the state of Oregon. Private donations are kept entirely separate and support our community programs only: holistic defense services, case management, and client support. Your contribution will never be used for criminal or juvenile defense representation.
No. Oregon’s access-to-counsel crisis in criminal and juvenile proceedings is a matter of state funding and public policy, it is not addressed or affected by private contributions to our organization. Donations support our civil community programs, which are a separate and complementary part of our work.
Holistic defense is a client-centered model of public defense that recognizes a legal case is rarely the only challenge a client faces. Beyond the courtroom, clients often navigate housing instability, immigration concerns, and the collateral consequences of criminal justice involvement, things that can upend a person’s life even after a case is resolved. Our holistic defense program addresses these needs directly through housing advocacy, immigration legal services, and collateral consequence and barrier reduction. These services are not state-funded and rely entirely on community support.
Unrestricted gifts give our organization the flexibility to direct resources where they are needed most at any given time. These funds will support our community programs — holistic defense, case management, and client support — and will never be used for criminal or juvenile defense work. If you’d like your gift directed to a specific program area, you can select that option when donating.
State funding for public defense covers only what is constitutionally required — criminal and juvenile representation. Services like housing advocacy, immigration assistance, case management, and direct client support are not mandated, so they receive no state dollars. Yet these are precisely the services that help our clients build stable lives, which is why private support is essential.
About Your Donation
Yes. MPD is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. You will receive a receipt for your records. We recommend consulting a tax advisor for guidance specific to your situation.
Yes. You will receive an email acknowledgment and tax receipt after your donation is processed. Please check your spam or junk folder if you don’t see it within a few minutes. If you need a receipt reissued, contact us at development@mpdlaw.com.
We’re glad to help. Reach out to us at development@mpdlaw.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.