Legal Aid Society's mission is to enforce, advance and defend the legal rights of low-income and vulnerable families in order to obtain for them the basic necessities of life. America was founded on the concept of equal justice for everyone..... it is confirmed in our pledge of allegiance and it is written above the doors of many courthouses, including the Supreme Court. However, there is a gap in our system. In civil cases, people who cannot afford legal representation usually must struggle alone against complicated government programs, individuals and entities in a position of power who are taking advantage of them, and violent family members. Legal Aid Society strives to fill that gap, helping to preserve that precious, cornerstone American value of justice for all. The need is tremendous. There are approximately 300,000 low-income people in our service area who are eligible for help, each experiencing an average of one civil legal problem every year. We receive over 60,000 requests for assistance each year. Due to limited resources, we are only able to open about one case for every 10 requests.