Representatives of Pisgah Legal Services and Cashiers Cares at a recent event.
Every day, individuals and families face legal challenges with profound consequences for their safety, stability, and future.
From eviction and denied disability benefits to custody disputes involving domestic violence, many must navigate these crises without access to an attorney.
For them, the justice system can feel like a maze, one they have no idea how to navigate alone.
Free legal aid helps bridge that gap, ensuring that access to justice is not reserved only for those with means. Here on the Plateau, and throughout Western North Carolina, much of that need is met by Pisgah Legal Services, a nonprofit that plays a vital role in making the promise of equal justice a reality rather than an ideal by assisting more than 25,000 people with low incomes in the mountain region each year.
Locally, Cashiers resident Patricia Caddell is one of two dedicated attorneys who assist people in need who live in Jackson and Macon counties. “Our clients are often dealing with multiple crises at once. A person facing eviction may also be struggling with a medical condition, job loss, or caring for children all at the same time.
“If we can intervene in time, we can stop a bad situation from spiraling out of control and becoming much worse. And we have Pisgah Legal’s whole team of attorneys and advocates standing behind us, offering a broad array of holistic services that can improve the lives of our clients and their children in significant ways.”
For almost 50 years, Pisgah Legal has provided critical legal support to individuals and families, including: veterans, the elderly, survivors of domestic violence and immigrants with a path to legally remaining in the country legally. Thanks to generous community support, legal aid plays a vital role in making the promise of equal justice a reality rather than an ideal.
When Pisgah Legal expanded to the Plateau in 2020, Regional Development Officer Leslie Manning said, “The response from the community has been remarkable. Local philanthropists and supporters have rallied behind this mission because they see the impact and results of this organization and that helping neighbors through times of crisis strengthens the fabric of our entire community.”
There are two offices on the Plateau where clients can meet with attorneys and caring advocates: at the Church of the Good Shepherd Bazaar Barn in Cashiers and at the Peggy Crosby Center in Highlands.
Generous supporters, Lisa and Glenn Ullman, recently issued a matching gift challenge of $25,000 to raise funds locally for Pisgah Legal Services. This summer, donors can double the impact of their gifts when they join the challenge and give online at pisgahlegal.org/plateau or call Leslie Manning at (828) 575-1353 to learn more about all their giving options.
For more information, visit pisgahlegal.org/plateau.
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