Members of the Lewis County Bar Legal Aid posed for a photo in August, 2014 after being honored for 25 years of service by the Lewis County Commission. From left: Carolyn Hipps, Kathy Brack, Jennifer Groberg, Lewis Zieskie, Becky Fox and Toni Nelson.
Lewis County’s legal assistance program for low-income families is racing the clock to keep its doors open after losing the United Way grant that typically made up close to 20 percent of its budget.
“It’s going to be very difficult (to stay open) unless we can find another funding stream,” said Carolyn Hipps, the executive director of Lewis County Bar Legal Aid. “We’re living on a prayer and a hope right now.”
The Legal Aid program, which has been around since 1989, connects Lewis County residents who can’t afford an attorney with the legal help they need. That includes things like free clinics and consultations, pro bono representation, referrals to other agencies and assistance in filling out forms.
Local attorneys volunteer their time to provide much of the program’s services, but Legal Aid’s small budget covers salaries for the two staffers who facilitate those efforts, as well as general operating expenses. The program operates on an annual budget of about $89,000-99,000, Hipps said, of which United Way of Lewis County had typically provided about $15,000.
According to United Way executive director Debbie Campbell, a decline in donations has forced the organization to limit its funding efforts to a stricter focus, specifically “lifting families out of poverty.” While Legal Aid’s efforts largely focus on low-income people, its work is not as directly related to United Way’s mission as some other programs.
“If what they have to do is close, hopefully this will take the (Legal Aid) board back, and they’ll sit back and maybe reinvent themselves and be more specific on what their mission is,” Campbell said. “It’s truly up to them to make the case. … We were only 18 percent of their total budget. Our mission in this community is not to fund the entire budget of all the nonprofits — that’d be nice.”
Eric Eisenberg, the president of Legal Aid’s board, acknowledged the funding shortfall threatens the organization, but is hopeful a fundraising push can keep it operating.
“Legal Aid is projected to not make ends meet by the end of the year without more funding. Unless we can raise funds, Legal Aid will have to close,” he said. “It is not currently the intention to close. The intention is to fundraise.”
Stakeholders are hoping to raise $25,000 by the end of the year to keep Legal Aid afloat. The program currently employs Hipps, as well as a facilitator who is on maternity leave.
“It’s not like Legal Aid has a lot of trimming they can do,” Eisenberg said.
Last year, the program provided services to 3,115 individuals. Including the household members of those people who also benefited from Legal Aid’s services, Hipps said the organization helped 8,154 residents. The majority of those services were provided to people near or below the poverty line. The 49 local attorneys who volunteered with the program provided 728 hours of pro bono work, services that can often come at a cost of $200 an hour.
United Way has provided money to Legal Aid since at least 20 years ago, though there have been years when funding was not provided. Legal Aid was informed this spring that it would no longer receive funding, and it received its last check from United Way in June.
“It’s scary,” Hipps said. “There’s not a whole lot of money out there, and it’s going to take a lot of time looking for more grants. ... We’re down to two people trying to operate this whole thing. We need more staffing, but we can’t afford it because of funding. I’m just stretched thin, really thin.”
Eisenberg said the organization is reaching out to Lewis County’s legal community, as well as other interested parties, in an effort to make up the gap through fundraising. The organization also receives funding from the Legal Foundation of Washington, court surcharges and facilitator fees.
Campbell said she was sympathetic to Legal Aid’s plight, but noted that a tough donor climate has forced United Way to make difficult decisions, and people expect to see very specific guidelines before they pledge their money.
“We wish them well,” she said. “We encourage Bar Legal Aid to seek alternate funding. You can’t rely on one (funding source). That’s always going set them up for failure.”
Legal Aid will continue to seek United Way funding in future years, Hipps said, but for now is trying to find ways to make ends meet for the rest of 2018.
