December 2023

From our Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida’s (CCLA) focus is true to our guiding principle, that every person, no matter what their socio-economic status, deserves equal access to justice. Each day our committed staff strives to improve the lives of low-income persons in our community through legal advocacy, education, representation, and empowerment.

We live in one of the most beautiful locations in the entire country. Yet, so many among us struggle for basic necessities many of us take for granted: a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, medicine when we need it, safety, and security. Every day, our CCLA Team helps clients overcome the challenges they face. We restored Medicaid benefits for a child battling cancer, preserved an elderly couple’s family home, obtained an injunction for protection for a victim of domestic violence, protected seniors from unscrupulous landlords, expunged a wrongful criminal record for victims of human trafficking, and were the voice for victims of intimate partner violence in criminal court to assert and enforce their rights as a victim. There are countless other examples of our staff providing equal justice to those who would be lost without our representation. Our sincere hope, for each of our clients, is that CCLA’s intervention propels them to a more secure and stable place in life than when they first walked through our door.

Meaningful change takes a commitment from our entire community. We could not accomplish what we achieve without those who generously support us and champion our cause. We are grateful for your belief in our mission.

The need for free, civil legal services is vast. CCLA continues our work to ensure equal access to justice for those in our region who are underserved, vulnerable, and under resourced. We hope that you will take a moment to contribute to our end of the year campaign, knowing that with even greater support from you, the impact of our services will reach even further.

With sincere appreciation,

2023 CCLA Recognition

In 2023, CCLA received recognition for several projects developed over the last few years as a result of community conversations. These awards are as much the community's as they are ours. We would like to share them with you.

CCLA was honored to be awarded the Organization of the Year in the Innovation Category for our Mobile Justice Squad (MJS) at 211-Broward's 12th Annual Non-Profit Awards. In addition, this year CCLA received Goodman Jewish Family Service’s 2023 Community Partner Award for our Senior Continuum of Care project. CCLA’s RISE Project received the Broward Domestic Violence Council’s Outstanding Program of the Year.

In addition to the awards received for our work in the community, our staff and firm were also shown appreciation. CCLA was recognized as a Top Workplace by the Sun-Sentinel. Paul Yune, an attorney with CCLA’s Family Law & Victims of Crime Unit, received the Victim Advocate Professional of the Year Award from Broward Victim’s Rights Coalition for his work on behalf of victims of crime. Paralegal, Delanor Ulysse, was awarded the Commitment to Justice for his 42 years of service.

2023 Outreach

At CCLA, we know that awareness of our services and education about the law are key factors to close the justice gap. Community outreach is a fundamental part of our mission. CCLA grew our reach into the community through in-person and virtual events. We are readily accessible on our various social media platforms. (Follow us!) We blend educational videos, expert panel discussions, clinics, and informational literature in different formats to appeal to a wide variety of people. Our numbers show we have reached a wider audience than ever before! In 2023, we conducted over 152 in-person and virtual outreach events reaching over 5,643 people. CCLA’s platforms reached over 42,000 users on Instagram, 27,000 on Facebook, and 75,000 on Twitter. If you would like us to attend an outreach event or have a topic you’d like us to address, please see our Community Outreach page for more information.

Community Outreach Page

2023 Client Success Story

Helping John & his Dog Maintain Housing

John had a rough year.

First, his wife died.

Then, he was evicted.

John cannot read or write. He receives Section 8 housing assistance. The Housing Authority knows he cannot read or write. Yet, they did not explain paperwork to him, despite KNOWING that he cannot read or write. As a result of the confusion with the paperwork about how much his portion of the rent was, he was evicted.

When we met John, he was staying with friends some nights and sleeping on a bench in a park on other nights. What hurt him the most was that he had to leave his pet dog with friends and couldn’t take care of him. He missed his beloved companion...