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This program first received funding from OEO in 1968. In 1974, following passage of the Legal Services Corporation Act, SALA received LSC funding for Pima County only. The program expanded, in 1976, to cover Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties, Graham and Greenlee Counties in 1978-79. The Four Rivers Indian Legal Services program was opened under SALA's administration in 1980. In 1985, with funding provided by the Interest On Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, services were expanded into Navajo and Apache Counties and to the Tohono O'odham Reservation, Pinal & Gila Counties in 2000. At the present time, SALA's service area covers over 33,000 square miles including nine (9) counties and eleven (11) of Arizona's twenty-one (21) Indian reservations. We serve five counties in southern Arizona (Pima, Pinal, Gila, Cochise and Santa Cruz) three of which share a common border with Mexico. We also cover the entire eastern portion of Arizona (Navajo, Apache, Graham and Greenlee Counties) excluding the Hopi and Navajo Indian reservations. We also serve the Pascua Yaqui Tribe whose reservation is approximately 20 miles southwest of Tucson. Four Rivers Indian Legal Services (Four Rivers), a Native American component of Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc., serves the residents of eight (8) Indian Reservations located in Maricopa, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma Counties including those Native American persons who are part of the service population of those Reservations and reside near those Reservations in border communities. The service area is entirely rural. SALA collaborated with local bar associations and in 1981 established the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP). Since that time the VLP has been carrying out its mission to foster hope, self-sufficiency and access to the justice system by matching volunteer attorneys with low-income Arizonans who have nowhere else to turn. Through their time and expertise, these volunteer attorneys help make the justice system accessible to all. Based in Tucson, the VLP serves clients with civil legal problems in Apache, Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Navajo, Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz Counties. In 2009, the VLP assisted 3,079 families. More than 1,300 attorneys participated in the VLP and donated 3,819 hours to assist clients in need. In addition, 101 students volunteered with the program. The Students were primarily law students but also included undergraduate and high school volunteers. Students donated 1,676 hours in 2009. In total students and attorneys volunteered 5,495 hours in 2009. This is the financial equivalent of $805,700. Our total client service area includes 214,895 eligible clients. Approximately 120,778 of those clients reside in Pima County, the remaining 89,012 are scattered throughout our service area. The client composition in our basic field component is approximately 57% Anglo, 3% Black, 27% Hispanic, 11% Native American, 1% Asian-P.I. and 1% Other. The clients served by FRILS are Native Americans living on or near reservations in Maricopa, Yavapai, Yuma and Pinal County who are affiliated with one of the reservations served. The clients served on or near the Pascua Yaqui Reservation are almost exclusively Native Americans.
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