Central California Legal Services is a private, not-for-profit, public interest law firm established for the purpose of providing free civil legal assistance  to low-income individuals, families, organizations and communities. For over 50 years, CCLS has been representing and advocating for low income individuals in Merced, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Fresno, Tulare, and Kings Counties—a region where intense poverty exists side by side with unparalleled wealth and abundance. Our job is to provide high quality civil legal services, improving the wellbeing of our communities through systems-changing advocacy as well as through legal work that meets individual clients’ immediate needs. These legal needs range from ensuring access to basic life necessities such as healthcare and housing, to protecting families and seniors from 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. Moving into this new era of tightening resources and increasing income inequality, we at CCLS are intensifying our broader-scale advocacy in courtrooms and policy arenas where indigent clients need champions. Together with our clients and partners, we’ll be challenging the systems that breed poverty in the Central Valley, reshaping our Valley’s narratives to support health and prosperity for all who live and work in this most fertile and beautiful region.