WORCESTER—Community Legal Aid (CLA), a nonprofit dedicated to providing free legal services to low-income and elderly residents across Central and Western Massachusetts, has been awarded $110,000 in funding from the United Way of Central Massachusetts (UWCM).
The grant bolsters efforts to support students in need of school services, families facing homelessness, and immigrants seeking humanitarian relief.
Through its affiliate, Central West Justice Center, CLA also uses the funding to assist new arrivals with humanitarian-based immigration needs, including those fleeing persecution and survivors of domestic violence.
“We at the United Way of Central Massachusetts have a long history of partnership with Community Legal Aid and the work they do to improve lives and make our community stronger,” said Timothy Garvin, president and CEO of UWCM, in a press release. “We are proud of their success and accomplishments and commitment to our most vulnerable neighbors.”
The funding comes at a critical time for CLA, which serves over 8,000 clients annually across Worcester, Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties. The vast majority of clients have household incomes below 125% of the federal poverty level, which amounts to $39,000 annually for a family of four.
Approximately 70% of CLA’s clients identify as female, and 55% identify as people of color, reflecting the organization’s focus on addressing inequities in the justice system.
As the legal arm of Worcester County’s social service safety net, CLA works to protect homes, livelihoods, and families while ensuring fairness in the justice system. Its offices are located in Worcester, Fitchburg, Springfield, Northampton, and Pittsfield.
For more information about Community Legal Aid, visit www.communitylegal.org.
