Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County Inc

Programs

1. The Foster Children's Project - The Children Advocacy supports children from birth to age 12, along with their siblings, who are in the licensed custody of the State of Florida. Once appointed by the Juvenile Court, the Project's attorneys advocate for these children in all court and administrative proceedings to protect them from abuse and neglect. They also work to ensure that the children achieve permanent placement with either their biological or adoptive parents within a 12-month period. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the attorneys represented 437 clients in foster care.

   $2,745,794 spentof which $48,966 as grants
   18% of program spending

2. The Fair Housing Project - The Individual Rights Advocacy offers community outreach, education, advocacy, and enforcement activities related to fair housing laws. Its goal is to ensure that individuals in Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Hendry, and St. Lucie counties are not denied housing based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or gender identity and expression. Besides advocating for victims of fair housing discrimination, the project also represents tenants facing eviction, ensuring their rights under the Florida Landlord Tenant Act are upheld. During the fiscal year 2024-25, the Fair Housing Project staff served 1,602 clients.

   $1,971,619 spentof which $12,430 as grants
   13% of program spending

3. The Public Guardianship Project serves as the legal guardian of indigent residents of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties who have been declared incapacitated by the Probate Court. The goal of the Public Guardianship Project is to provide direct legal representation to its clients, as well as a full range of professional and supportive services, in order to ensure that their basic needs are met, their quality of life enhanced and that they are provided with all entitlement and financial assistance for which they are eligible. During FY 2024-2025, the Public Guardianship Project provided guardianship services to 217 indigent adjudicated incapacitated elderly who had no family or friends to assist them.

   $1,596,010 spent
   11% of program spending

4. The Juvenile Advocacy Project provides court-appointed attorneys ad litem and social workers to children and youth ages 12 to 22 who have been removed from their caregivers' custody and are in the foster care system, the delinquency system or both. Juvenile Advocacy Project attorneys attend all court proceedings and judicial reviews either with or on behalf of the child to ensure that court-mandated case plans are adhered to; that they receive appropriate treatments, services and placement; and that the child's expressed desires and goals are respected. During FY 2024-2025, Juvenile Advocacy Project attorneys represented 472 clients in the dependency system, the delinquency system or both.

   $1,563,652 spentof which $15,216 as grants
   10% of program spending

5. The Domestic Violence Project offers survivors of abuse legal advice, consultation, and help with filing injunctions for protection (restraining orders), as well as representation at hearings for these injunctions. The project aims to protect clients from further violence and promote stability by establishing parenting plans and securing financial support for survivors when needed. In addition to legal assistance, the project provides referrals to community resources, helping survivors access personalized safety planning, support groups, transitional housing, and financial resources. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Domestic Violence Project served 790 clients.

   $928,002 spent
   6% of program spending

6. The Elder Law Project - Elder Advocacy offers legal advice, consultation, education, and representation to seniors aged 55 and above who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The project addresses issues such as elder abuse and exploitation, housing law, real property law, consumer law, guardianship matters, family law, and government benefits like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare, and Medicaid. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Elder Law Project staff at Legal Aid assisted 1,158 seniors in our community.

   $808,399 spentof which $156 as grants
   5% of program spending

7. During FY 2024-2025 other legal counseling service were provided to 4,711 individuals.

   $4,670,765 spentof which $33,379 as grants$379,141 earned by the program
   31% of program spending

8. The Family Law Project - The Family Law Project assists low-income individuals with family law matters pertaining to initial filings of dissolution of marriage which include issues of: equitable distribution, timesharing with minor children, parenting plans, alimony and child support. We also assist with paternity matters including issues of timesharing, parenting plans, and child support. During FY 2024-2025, Family Law Project attorneys represented 148 clients with divorce, paternity and property division issues.

   $850,950 spentof which $305 as grants
   6% of program spending

The 8 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $15,135,191.