FLORIDA RURAL LEGAL SERVICES INC

FLORIDA RURAL LEGAL SERVICES, INC. (FRLS) WAS FOUNDED IN 1966 AND IS UNIQUE IN ITS HISTORY AND PROVISION OF HOLISTIC SERVICES AS WELL AS OUR SERVICES TO FARMWORKERS; THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY SPEARHEADED THE WAR ON POVERTY, FUNDED A TWO-YEAR DEMONSTRATION AND RESEARCH PROJECT TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO FARMWORKERS IN SIX SOUTH FLORIDA COUNTIES. THE PROJECT, ORIGINALLY NAMED THE SOUTH FLORIDA MIGRANT SERVICES, WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL, AND TO THIS DAY, FRLS CONTINUES AS THE ONLY LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION IN FLORIDA PROVIDING SERVICES TO MIGRANT FARMWORKERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS A HIGHLIGHT TO OUR HISTORY OF OVER 55 YEARS OF SERVICE. FRLS' MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A THREE-PRONG ADVOCACY APPROACH WITH A FOCUS ON HOLISTIC SERVICES, INCLUDING FRONT LINE LEGAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM WIDE HOTLINE AND MIGRANT FARMWORKER HELPLINE SERVICES, THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY AND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WHICH MOBILIZES OUR POVERTY PREVENTION SERVICES AND ELIMINATES BARRIERS TO ACCESSING FREE CIVIL LEGAL AID IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT 13 CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA COUNTIES. FRLS ALSO PROVIDES STATEWIDE SERVICES TO MIGRANT FARMWORKERS, AND WE ARE PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS AND EXPANSION OF OUR CRITICAL STATEWIDE MIGRANT FARMWORKER SERVICES. FLORIDA RURAL LEGAL SERVICES, INC (FRLS) PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE AND HOLISTIC SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION (INCLUDING EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION, FAIR HOUSING AND LAND LOSS PREVENTION), CONSUMER PROTECTION, EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS AND PUBLIC BENEFITS, FAMILY PROTECTION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IMMIGRATION SERVICES (INCLUDING GREEN CARD RENEWAL, NATURALIZATION AND U VISA AND T VISA SERVICES), INDIVIDUAL/CIVIL RIGHTS AND THROUGH OUR MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP SERVICES GRANT. FRLS' ASSISTANCE TO LOW INCOME AND VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING SENIORS, VETERANS AND THOSE FACING TAX CONTROVERSIES (INCLUDING TAX LIENS) IS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR MISSION TO EMPOWER LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO JUSTICE. OUR PARTNERS, GENEROUS DONORS AND THE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WHO DEDICATE THEIR SERVICES, TO EXPAND OUR REACH OF JUSTICE TO THE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. FRLS PROVIDED LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 6,000 CLIENTS IN 2022. FRLS ALSO PROVIDED OVER 20,000 PERSONS WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. FRLS HAS SEVEN OFFICES: FOUR REGIONAL OFFICES AND THREE SATELLITE OFFICES AND APPROXIMATELY 100 STAFF, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 50 ADVOCATES. IN 2019 AND 2020, FLRS EXPANDED OUR MIGRANT FARMWORKER SERVICES BY ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE TOLL-FREE HELPLINE IN AUGUST 2020 FOR FARMWORKERS ACROSS THE STATE TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING OUR SERVICES. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR SATELLITE OFFICE IN IMMOKALEE, ESTABLISHING IT AS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR FRLS' STATEWIDE SERVICES TO MIGRANT FARMWORKERS. FRLS HAS ALSO EXPANDED OUR BELLE GLADE OFFICE AND SERVICES SIGNIFICANTLY, ADDRESSING THE SIGNIFICANT POVERTY AND NEED FOR INCREASED FREE CIVIL LEGAL AID, INCREASING ADVOCATES AND STAFF IN THE GLADES BY OVER 50%. FRLS REMAINS ONE OF THE ONLY PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY FOUNDED AND FOCUSED ON ENSURING ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO RURAL COMMUNITIES AND MIGRANT FARMWORKERS.