In 1959, a dedicated group of lawyers and community leaders recognized an unmet need to help the less fortunate in San Mateo County. Thanks to these founders, in a small one-room office, the Legal Aid Society was born. Since then, the Legal Aid Society has grown to become one of California's most respected public interest law firms. A vital voice for San Mateo County's underserved populations, the organization has received awards for excellence in the delivery of legal services. Legal Aid continues to provide free, quality civil legal services to San Mateo County's low-income residents. Our advocacy has evolved with the times; we fought for civil rights in the 1960s and fair wages for farmworkers in the 1980s. Today our work encompasses nine broad areas: Caregivers, Children, Children and Adults with Disabilities, Seniors, Survivors of Domestic Violence, Teen Parents, Health, Income Maintenance, and Housing.
In 1959, a dedicated group of lawyers and community leaders recognized an unmet need to help the less fortunate in San Mateo County. Thanks to these founders, in a small one-room office, the Legal Aid Society was born. Since then, the Legal Aid Society has grown to become one of California's most respected public interest law firms. A vital voice for San Mateo County's underserved populations, the organization has received awards for excellence in the delivery of legal services. Legal Aid continues to provide free, quality civil legal services to San Mateo County's low-income residents. Our advocacy has evolved with the times; we fought for civil rights in the 1960s and fair wages for farmworkers in the 1980s. Today our work encompasses nine broad areas: Caregivers, Children, Children and Adults with Disabilities, Seniors, Survivors of Domestic Violence, Teen Parents, Health, Income Maintenance, and Housing.
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Charting Impact
What is your organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to fight social injustice through civil legal advocacy for people living in poverty. The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's vision is for every person to have the basic necessities of life, including safe affordable housing, access to health care, economic security, secure immigration status, an appropriate education and freedom from violence and abuse. We strive to empower people to overcome the causes and effects of poverty so they can participate in their community with dignity and respect. We seek to remove barriers related to poverty, disability, race, language, age, gender, sexual orientation and immigration status through community education, legal representation, systemic advocacy and collaboration with community partners.
What are your strategies for making this happen?
Our attorneys, and project coordinators fight social injustice by providing individual representation, community education, systemic advocacy and for those who live in poverty.
What are your organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our staff attorneys are dedicated public interest attorneys. Many are graduates from some of the finest law schools in the country.
How will your organization know if you are making progress?
At the start of each case goals are set. Most cases are resolved favorably.
What have and haven't you accomplished so far?
We serve over 2100 clients per year. Our systemic advocacy work affects thousands of people in our community who we don't know.
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This impact information is current as of August 2020, when it was provided to us by GuideStar.
At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology.
Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.
Program Name
Amount Spent
% of Program Expenses
Linking Immigrants to Benefits
$1,264,254
41.1%
Homesavers Project
$591,637
19.2%
The Health Consumer Center
$380,218
12.4%
Ratings History Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County has received 2 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator.
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
