This past year, 1999, marked our 30th
anniversary of continuous service to our low income community. We "celebrated"
this milestone by providing services in 1999 that touched the lives of over 12,000 people.
Of that number, we provided community education to almost 3,000 individuals, and advised
and taught over 6,500 people about their rights. The remaining clients were provided
protracted legal representation in a variety of cases. This was not an easy feat for a
staff that numbers less than 30 people including attorneys, paralegals, and support staff.
Our program has been assisted in this mission by volunteer attorneys and supported by
various federal, state and local grants, contracts and private contributions.
The services were provided in a variety of
areas which include: representing families in family law matters, securing
individual’s rightful social security benefits, assisting the unemployed to receive
their deserved unemployment benefits, preserving housing and shelter for families, and
educating people about their legal rights and responsibilities. We continue expanding the
areas where we can assist our community in civil legal matters.
Providing these necessary services to the
low income communities of our 10 county service area
is made possible by our professional staff. These individuals reaffirm their dedication
and professionalism each day by providing quality representation to clients, finding new
resources of support and funding for our program, and developing new areas that have a
positive impact on the lives of our low income constituency.
In the fall of 1999, our program developed
a strategic plan to address three areas in the year 2000. These three areas are: to
increase and expand our community education and pro se clinic programs; to facilitate
and assist in developing working pro bono attorney panels in
all 10 of the counties we serve; and, to increase our resource development. Work plans
have been developed, and the staff is working hard to meet the challenges we have set for
ourselves.
Our program has partnered with other legal
services programs and stakeholders throughout the state to develop a vision of legal
services for Pennsylvania and to be proactive in developing and growing a cohesive plan to
serve all low income communities in our Commonwealth.
This coming year will be exciting as we
work closer together to build the legal services of the new century.
Thank you for your interest in and support
of our program. We ask for your continued support and encouragement in meeting the
challenges of the new century.
Robert A. Oakley, Esq.
Executive Director |
