Page 39 - Pierce County Lawyer - January February 2025

The program also added a VOCA-funded attorney to handle family law issues for
survivors of domestic violence. No other major growth was seen until 2020, when
COVID-19 turned the world (and the world of legal aid) upside down. The VLS
program began to receive COVID-related new funding from government and
philanthropic sources, allowing it to grow to the point that a separation from the
TPCBA was healthy and appropriate for both organizations; the program’s name
was changed to Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers, assuming the 501(c)(3)
status of the Bar Foundation.
2021-present— Since 2021 he program’s
growth has been exponential due to changes in
Washington law providing new protections for
tenants, including the first in the nation Right
to Counsel program which is staffed in Pierce
County (and now many additional Washington
counties) by the Housing Justice Project, and
significant investment in the program by the
Legal Foundation of Washington, Washington
Office of Civil Legal Aid, the Ballmer Group,
Pierce County Human Services, the City of Tacoma and City of Lakewood. The
annual budget has exploded from approximately $250,000 to close to $5,000,000.
The VOCA program has expanded into the Family Safety Project which includes
three attorneys and a LLLT, with another staff attorney soon to be added with
additional funding from the Department of Commerce. The Legal Foundation of
Washington also recently selected the program in a competitive process to receive
3-year funding to reopen its Native American Legal Aid Program with an Urban
Indian focus. Tacomaprobono also added a new, unique social work component
to assist low-income clients facing housing insecurity; a Client Support Services
team of 4 who work to remove barriers to housing for our clients. The volunteer
portion of the program pivoted to handle the pandemic shutdown period and
has emerged stronger than ever thanks to the persistence and leadership of VLP
Manager Melissa Wolkenhauer. Last but certainly not least in impact, the Legal Aid
Pop-Up concept was born in partnership and collaboration with the Pierce County
Library System, Tacoma Public Libraries, regional Family Resource Centers and
community groups such as Tacoma Urban League and Key Peninsula Community
Services, to bring the legal aid office out into the community to reach those who
live in geographically remote areas or are otherwise unable to travel to the office.
All this growth has required strategic expansion of the historically lean
administrative team. Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers has been fortunate
to have had leaders during this period of time who were able to comfortably step
into the world of high-level budgeting/bookkeeping/accounting, grant writing,
invoicing and reporting, board
development, community engagement
and personnel management. Thank you
to former ED Carly Roberts for moving
us as calmly as possible through the
complex organizational changes and
chaotic pandemic expansion of the
early 2020’s, and to current ED Melisa
Evangelos for taking on the challenge
of leading what is now one of the
larger law firms in Pierce County and
ably herding this ever-growing group
of ‘cats’ who make up the dedicated,
passionate staff and volunteers bringing
equal justice to Pierce County and
continuing to make history!
Contact information for
Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers:
Melisa Evangelos, Executive Director:
mevangelos@tacomaprobono.org
Laurie Davenport, Communications Director:
laurie@tacomaprobono.org
Melissa Wolkenhauer, Manager,
Volunteer Legal Program:
melissaw@tacomaprobono.org
WE NEED YOU
MORE THAN EVER!
Remember, our
program is powered
by volunteers for
most everything
we do for our low-
income clients
outside of our
staffed programs
(Bankruptcy, Guardianship, Wills, Estates,
vacation of criminal records, etc., etc.) We
need your passion for service and your
legal expertise! You can fit into one of
our in-house clinics or set up your own
volunteer opportunity so it works to your
liking. Use the QR code to sign up or
contact Melissa Wolkenhauer, Manager,
Volunteer Legal Program: melissaw@
tacomaprobono.org.
PRO BONO PUP
Not a pup at all, but one of the cool BIG
cats (there are at least 4) who live on
the hillside behind the Mustard Seed
Project of Key Peninsula in Key Center.
Our outreach team visits the Mustard
Seed location, as well as Key Peninsula
Community Services and the Gig Harbor
Civic Center , every 2nd Tuesday –always
carefully watched by the cats. We love
going out to this beautiful but isolated
community – thank you to volunteer
attorneys and Key
Peninsula residents Pat
DeMarco and Kerry
Brink for bringing
your attorney smarts to
these GHKP sessions
every month!
Laurie Davenport
is the Director
of Development
& Outreach for
Tacomaprobono.
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