NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES
33 NORTH MAIN STREET NO 200, PITTSTON, PA 18640 www.northpennlegal.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO SOLVE CIVIL LEGAL PROBLEMS AND EMPOWER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL LEGAL REPRESENTATION, ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION.

NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES IS A PROVIDER OF FREE CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF A 20 COUNTY AREA IN NORTHEAST PA. POTENTIAL CLIENTS ARE SCREENED FOR INCOME ELIGIBILITY WHICH IS, IN MOST CASES, 125% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. CASE TYPES ACCEPTED FOR SERVICE ARE THOSE WHICH FIT WITHIN PRIORITIES REVIEWED ANNUALLY BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES ADVOCATES HANDLE A VARIETY OF CASES INCLUDING HOUSING, HEALTH, JUVENILE, FAMILY, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, CONSUMER, INCOME MAINTENANCE, AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. THE PRIORITIES ARE DESIGNED TO SCREEN FOR CASES WHICH ARE EMERGENCIES AND WHICH HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE SAFETY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY OF A FAMILY. FOR EXAMPLE, NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES ADVOCATES TAKE CASES WHERE THE CLIENT IS AT RISK OF EVICTION FROM PRIVATE OR FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, HAS BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFIT - WHETHER IN THE FORM OF CASH ASSISTANCE OR MEDICAL SUPPORT - OR THE VICTIM OF CREDITOR HARASSMENT.

NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY SOLUTION THAT PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. REQUESTS FOR OUR FREE CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES DURING THE LAST YEAR RESULTED IN HANDLING MORE THAN 9,111 CASES. IN 20 COUNTIES, OVER 325,000 PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SERVICES OF NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES. WE PROVIDED CIVIL LEGAL AID TO 1,814 OF THOSE PEOPLE THROUGH COURT AND ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS, ENHANCING CLIENTS' ECONOMIC SECURITY BY OBTAINING AWARDS OF JUST OVER $2.5 MILLION AWARDED TO OR DEBT AVOIDED FOR OUR CLIENTS, PRIMARILY IN CONSUMER CASES AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS. IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE 8,768 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS WE WERE OTHERWISE UNABLE TO SERVE, WE DEVELOPED SELF-HELP MATERIALS, DISTRIBUTED 4,469 INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLETS AND CONDUCTED OUTREACH EVENTS TO 2,209 PEOPLE.

AS A REGIONAL PROVIDER OF CIVIL LEGAL AID FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES HAS BEEN ENSURING THAT LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST PA HAVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND THE SAME LEGAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS THAT THOSE WHO HAVE MEANS CAN AFFORD ON THEIR OWN. NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES STAFF PROVIDE CRITICAL ADVOCACY THROUGH REPRESENTATION AT HEARINGS, MODERATING DIFFICULT LANDLORD-TENANT RELATIONSHIPS, AND PROVIDING SELF-HELP MATERIALS TO POOR PEOPLE FACING EVICTION, FORECLOSURE, AND LOSS OF FEDERAL HOUSING SUBSIDIES. IN 2019-2020 HOUSING CONTINUED TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE FOR CLIENTS. NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES STAFF HELPED 4,895 PEOPLE WITH HOUSING ISSUES.

LEGAL AID LAWYERS AND PARALEGALS AT NORTH PENN LEGAL SERVICES HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL IN PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH SAFETY AND STABILITY WHEN THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN. IN CASES WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WERE THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE FROM AN INTIMATE PARTNER, STAFF OBTAINED PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDERS IN 663 CASES. IN SITUATIONS WHERE FAMILIES WERE CHALLENGED BY A THREAT TO THE LOSS OF PRIMARY CUSTODY OF A CHILD, OR HAD BEEN DENIED CONTACT WITH A CHILD, STAFF OBTAINED 314 CUSTODY OR VISITATION ORDERS. DURING THIS PAST YEAR OF FUNDING, NPLS HAS EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS, PARALEGALS, AND INTERNS WHO ASSISTED OUR CLIENTS. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES THROUGH SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDING SUCH AS OUR LEHIGH VALLEY FAIR HOUSING PROJECT.

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