CENTRAL CALIFORNIA LEGAL SERVICES INC
Justice Equity Power
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
CCLS seeks to advance justice and empower people by providing high quality civil legal services, improving the wellbeing of our communities through systems-changing advocacy, as well as through civil legal work that meets individual clients’ immediate needs, fighting social injustice and protecting the rights of individuals, groups, and communities.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Civil Legal Services
Central California Legal Services was founded in 1966. Its service area includes Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Merced, Tuolumne, and Mariposa Counties, an area roughly the size of the state of West Virginia. This region is unique in California because of its rural nature, and the need to serve a population that is spread across a large geographic area. These counties share similar characteristics in terms of high levels of poverty, lack of education, domestic violence issues, high medical debt, and environmental pollution.
CCLS provides individual legal representation and educational services as well as wider-impact representation in affirmative cases in civil matters to eligible low-income individuals in these six counties with limited services to seniors in Madera County. In addition, through a partnership with the statewide Health Consumer Alliance, CCLS serves residents in the counties of Madera, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Monterey and San Benito regarding their specific health care concerns.
Clients may access legal services at the offices (phone or in-person intake), at legal clinics and through outreach and community education workshops that inform the eligible community of their rights and the available services. Outreach efforts are augmented by extensive use of local ethnic media (print, radio and television) and with printed materials distributed area-wide through educational workshops and at various activities such as cultural/ethnic events, health fairs and school and parent groups. Visitors to the CCLS website can access educational materials on matters such as tenants’ rights, elder abuse prevention and domestic violence restraining orders, debt collection, Social Security/SSI, and the Earned Income Tax Credit program (EITC).
Where we work
External reviews
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Legal and economic problems are a direct result of the extreme poverty experienced by our clients which negatively impacts their well-being and safety. Legal issues – housing, employment, financial – place families at risk and are further complicated by barriers. People of color and low-wage workers are among those most affected by COVID 19. They face additional barriers - inadequate transportation, language, and little to no access to internet services.
Legal services are critical to navigating the legal system to prevent an eviction, secure protections for victims of domestic violence and to stabilize a family’s income. These families, without our assistance, find themselves at risk of losing their home as they struggle to provide for their families. Attorneys can preserve their rights and assist with additional services to support their household.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
CCLS provides both legal representation and legal education to marginalized communities, addressing legal needs ranging from ensuring access to basic life necessities such as healthcare and housing, to protecting families and seniors from domestic violence or consumer fraud, to helping veterans overcome barriers to employment. We also work closely with agencies and community organizations that share our commitment to support low-income individuals, families, and communities in being their own agents of change.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
To access services, individuals may call our Legal Advice and Referral Line (LAL), or visit one of our three offices located in the cities of Merced, Visalia, and Fresno (all physical offices are currently closed due to COVID-19 precautions but we are available by phone or online). An online intake portal, compatible with mobile phones, gives 80% of our client population an additional means to contact us for assistance.
Our teams are made up of highly skilled lawyers, paralegals and outreach individuals that educate clients, families and the community. CCLS staff of almost 90 reflects the Central Valley’s diversity, with capacity to serve clients in numerous languages including Spanish, Khmer, Lao, Mixteco,
Punjabi, and Hmong. CCLS is effective in reaching area residents in collaboration with community and faith-based organizations, area schools, colleges and universities, courts, and others.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
CCLS is proud of its accomplishments on behalf of clients. The program assists victims of domestic violence and sexual assault with protective orders, custody and other civil legal matters. We stop illegal evictions from occurring in private or subsidized housing and advocate for correction of substandard housing conditions. Advocates help obtain assistance for people with disabilities. We restore and preserve public assistance grants and overcome denial of emergency assistance programs such as food stamps, disability or veterans' benefits. CCLS represents individuals regarding their employment rights including wage collection, discrimination and denial of benefits.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA LEGAL SERVICES INC
Board of directorsas of 02/14/2023
Mr. William McComas
Pascuzzi, Pascuzzi & Stoker
Term: 2016 -
Ms. Maria Villasenor
Centro La Familia Advocacy Services
Term: 2011 -
Paul Thao
Lao Family of Merced
Maria Villasenor
Dolores Huerta Foundation
Teresa de la Rosa
OLA Raza
Lynette A. Gonzales
La Raza Lawyers Association
Darryl E. Young
Law Offices of Darryl E. Young
Pahoua Lor
Law Offices of Pahoua C. Lor
Armando G. Lope
Merced County Bar Association
Ponzella Brackens-Boissiere
Client Member
Laura Ward
Fresno County Bar Association
Martha Tamayo
Kings Community Action Organization
Virginia Harper
Community Representative
Michael P. Smith
Tulare County Bar Association
Samya Burney
Fresno County Bar Association
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data