In order to better serve the elderly in their community, Bergen County Legal Services (BCLS) developed a partnership with a local senior center and began an "out site" program where an attorney from BCLS schedules regular office hours at the center. Due to this senior center's focus on the needs of the minority elderly, this center provided an entry point for BCLS into this underserved community. Each month, a BCLS staff attorney holds regular office hours on site at the senior center. In addition, if requested, community legal education forums are held addressing topics of interest to the senior participants. As a result of the regular presence of the legal aid attorney at the senior center, the delivery of legal services became another usual service available at the center and this fosters a sense of familiarity among the clients. After this relationship became established, an informal exchange program developed where both the senior center and BCLS have representatives sitting on each other's Board of Directors thereby providing insight for BCLS into the needs of this community and promoting diversity at the same time. A step by step description of the "Out Site' program is available below.
Contact Information:
Anna P. Navatta Executive Director Bergen County Legal Services 61 Kansas Street Hackensack, New Jersey 07601 Phone: (201) 487.2166 Fax: (201) 487-3513 anavatta@lsnj.org
LSC:
America's Partner for Equal Justice 
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