Legal Aid of Sonoma County

HOME - The organization helps families and individuals avoid homelessness by providing legal services to prevent unlawful evictions and negotiations with landlords. A full range of legal services are available including preparation of pleadings, in court representation and settlement negotiations. The organization provided services to 913 clients through this program during the year. Volunteer law students donated approximately 276 hours of service and volunteer legal case workers donated 385 hours during the year.

SAFE - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICESThe organization helps adult and elder victims and children of domestic violence and civil harassment by providing legal advice and protective orders which help keep them safe and sheltered. Assistance includes legal forms preparation, counsel and advice, court representation, and referrals to other legal and non-legal resources in the community. SAFE services are also available through our attorney and one caseworker who assist clients off-site at the Sonoma County Family Justice Center. The organization provided services to 453 clients through this program during the year.Volunteer law students donated approximately 124 hours of service during the year.

DISASTER RELIEF - The organization provides legal assistance to families and individuals affected by the 2017, 2019, and 2020 wildfires, and through our ARPA funded small Business Equity and Recovery Program to Small business Owners who were negatively impacted by Covid-19 restrictions on business operations. The organization provided services to 19 clients in-house and to hundreds of others at community education workshops and local assistance centers. Volunteer Attorneys donated approximately 305 hours of service, volunteer law students donated approximately 334 hours of service during the year.

ELDER - The organization provides legal assistance to adults, age 60 and over, including mobile legal services for older adults who are isolated and live in rural parts of the County. The Elder program was established in 2015 to ensure legal access to these more vulnerable individuals. Services include housing, elder abuse, simple estate planning, bankruptcy, and a range of other legal issues. The organization provided services to 453 clients through this program during the year.Volunteer law students donated approximately 124 hours of service to the program during the yearEPH - EMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH PROGRAMS - The organization provides assistance with legal impediments to employment and health and to low-income individuals who have been referred by the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services. The organization provided services to 191 clients through this program during the year. Volunteer paralegals donated approximately 162 hours of service during the year.VETERANS - The organization helps veterans modify discharge status and access financial and medical benefits. This organization provided services to 83 clients through this program during the year.Volunteer Attorneys donated approximately 85 hours of service; volunteer law students donated approximately 28 hours of service during the year.CAPP - CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM - The organization provides legal services to individuals who want to care for and protect abandoned and/or abused children by obtaining legal guardianship of those children and to clients who are referred by County of Sonoma Child Protective Services for legal assistance with family law and other legal issues impacting abused or neglected children. Legal assistance includes help with legal pleadings, notice procedures, and information, and advice. The organization provided services to 14 clients through this program during the year. REACH - The organization provides legal services to low-income and Spanish speaking individuals living in Sonoma Valley. The organization provided services to 22 clients through this program during the year. IMMIGRATION - The organization provides legal services to undocumented minor survivors of abuse or neglect to assist with obtaining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). This new program began at the very end of Q4 2022, and the organization had not yet begun assisting individual clients as of 12/31/22.