Legal Aid of North Carolina may close its offices in Fayetteville or Pembroke as a result of a state funding pause that has already forced layoffs and program cuts across the state, putting free legal services for low-income residents at risk.
The potential closures stem from Senate Bill 429, signed into law in July as part of the Public Safety Act. The law halted grant distributions from one of Legal Aid’s largest funding sources for one year, creating a multimillion-dollar shortfall for the nonprofit.
As a result, Legal Aid of North Carolina has laid off 56 full-time employees, reduced staff, and closed nine offices statewide, including in Gastonia, Boone, Asheville, Concord, Gold Sparrow, Rock Mount, Henderson, and Ahoskie. The organization provides free legal assistance to domestic violence survivors, veterans seeking benefits, and people recovering from natural disasters…