Local Service Agencies
The UNC Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity is a nonpartisan academic center that brings together scholars, policymakers, lawyers, community leaders and students to further research and policymaking on issues relating to the struggles of low income and moderate income people. The Center is not a direct service agency for aiding individuals with specific legal, financial or other needs. In North Carolina, please consult the following list of organizations for assistance.
Legal Services
The Women's Center (Chapel Hill, NC)
(919) 968-4610
The Women's Center in Chapel Hill offers the opportunity to speak with a volunteer attorney by phone for 15 minutes to discuss a variety of legal issues, through its Legal Information Service. The Women's Center now also offers a volunteer immigration attorney, Alice Glover, who is available for evening phone appointments. She provides legal information about green cards, immigration papers, citizenship, permanent residency, lawful status, visas, naturalization, and asylum. These legal services are available to all residents of North Carolina, male or female, of all income levels. One volunteer attorney speaks Spanish; however, the immigration attorney is not Spanish-speaking.
The Women's Center (Raleigh, NC)
(919) 829-3711
The Women's Center in Raleigh offers a free domestic law hotline, which volunteer attorneys staff twice a month. The free service is only available to women, and no inquiries about income will be made. Women may to speak with an attorney for 10 - 15 minutes about their rights and options with regard to domestic legal issues (separation, divorce, child custody, property issues, etc.).
Women's Resource Center of Greensboro
(336) 275-6090
The Women's Resource Center of Greensboro offers an attorney hotline is available to women, age 18 and older, in need of information on a variety of legal issues. Volunteer attorneys offer 15 minutes of legal consultation over the phone, for those who have made an appointment. The legal areas handled by these attorneys include: Civil, Corporate, Criminal, Domestic, Education, Employment, Environmental, Landlord/Tenant, Financial, Business/Bankruptcy, Immigration, Juvenile, Patent, Health, General Litigation, Business Start-Up, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Real Estate, Tax, Wills/Probate, and Worker's Compensation. The Women's Resource Center also occasionally offers workshops led by attorneys, on a variety of legal issues.
Legal Aid of North Carolina
(919) 856-2564
Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services to low-income individuals dealing with civil matters. LANC operates in all 100 counties in North Carolina through 24 geographically based offices. Call or visit the Legal Aid website to find the office near you, and to determine eligibility (as it varies depending on the type of legal case).
NC Lawyer Referral Service
In state: (800) 662-7660
Out of state: (919) 677-8574
The NC Lawyer Referral Service is a nonprofit public service sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation. The service provides names and contact information of lawyers in your geographic area dealing with your legal issue, who are in good standing with the NC Bar Association. There is no fee to use the referral service; however, the service does NOT make referrals to pro bono (free) attorneys. Attorneys participating in the LRS agree to charge no more than $30 for the first 30 minutes of the initial consultation. The attorney will discuss any additional fees beyond the initial consultation. The NC Lawyer Referral Service is available to you by telephone or online via the link above.
Financial Services
NC Hope Hotline
(888) 995-HOPE
The NC Hope Hotline is a partnership between the State of North Carolina and the national Hope Hotline, created to help homeowners facing foreclosure crises. The Hope Hotline is a toll-free number that homeowners can call seven days a week, 24 hours a day to receive free counseling on options to avoid foreclosure. In face-to-face meetings, these counselors will help homeowners work with their mortgage companies to avoid foreclosing on their home.
NC Foreclosure Help
Sponsored by a variety of state agencies and prominent non-profits, this website provides advice and helpful links for homeowners facing foreclosure. It also contains information on foreclosure rates, maps, reports and papers and proposed legislation.
Social Services
NC Department of Health and Human Services
Care Line information and referral service (800) 662-7030
The NC Department of Health and Human Services operates the Care Line information and referral service to help individuals find social services in the areas of: children and youth; families and adults; older adults; health; Medicaid; and disability services. The Department also offers the online equivalent of the telephone referral service, called NC careLINK where you may find social services using an online search function.
Durham System of Care-Network of Care
The Network of Care is an online information clearinghouse for individuals, families and agencies involved with children and youth ages 0-18. This online community provides information, communication and advocacy tools with a single point of entry. There is no phone number associated with the Network of Care - it is strictly an online tool.