LLA Foundation Award Supports Legal Services Position

$6,000 To Fund AmeriCorps Position At Williamsport Office

North Penn Legal Services will be able to maintain its law office assistant position at the Williamsport Office thanks to a contribution from the Lycoming Law Association Foundation. Recently, representatives from the LLA Foundation presented a check in the amount of $6,000 to NPLS. The grant from the Foundation provides the cash match necessary to allow the Williamsport office to retain the AmeriCorps volunteer.

Lisa Covington, the AmeriCorps volunteer in the Williamsport Office, for the past two years, will be able to continue her service focusing on connecting low-income clients with NPLS’ services. NPLS provides in-kind support including training and supervision for the volunteer.

 Ms. Covington will support and enhance NPLS’ capacity to assist low-income people with their legal problems. “She is the first point of contact for people in distress and handles the responsibility very well in addition to her other responsibilities and projects,” said Danna Rich-Collins, Paralegal and Williamsport Office Manager. "The law office assistant will enable the office to be more responsive to walk-in applicants, clients and callers. With a law office assistant, our goal is to blend the benefits of technology with human contact. When an individual contacts legal services, that individual will frequently reach a person rather than an auto attendant system. Applicants and clients will have more predictable access to our educational videos and brochures."

“The Law Association is pleased that clients will reach a person rather than the auto attendant when their members and the Court call NPLS’ Williamsport Office,” according to LLA Foundation, Executive Director Jessica A. Engel. 

NPLS and the LLA Foundation have maintained an on-going relationship to assist low-income people with their legal needs. According to Rich-Collins, the LLA Foundation has for many years contributed resources to NPLS through attorney arbitration fee donations, through training grants and more. This recent gift is a bonus to NPLS and arrives at a particularly crucial time following staff reductions due to funding cuts combined with an increased poverty population now totaling 36,924.