March 16, 2017
Nationwide communities are preparing for major cuts to public programs. In Sonoma County, residents are bracing themselves for a decline in services for housing, health care, elderly care, and legal aid.
Although Legal Aid of Sonoma County does not receive federal funding from the Legal Services Corporation, the organization is still frightened of losing funding due to increased competition for grants from legal aid organizations in the area that do receive money from the LSC. The California organizations that do receive LSC funding will need to make up for the dearth in funding by seeking out local grants that smaller legal aids are already applying for or using.
This is why we need the Federal Administration to continue funding for the Legal Services Corporation. Cutting the LSC will not only hurt its grantees, but legal aid at large – especially for smaller programs in more rural areas. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of low-income Americans who would have otherwise received legal help will be hurt by this decision. LAAC supports legal aid the best we can, and will continue to fight for increased funding in California.
Organizations mentioned/involved: Legal Aid of Sonoma County