Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) has provided free civil legal aid to low-income residents of Western North Carolina since 1978, serving 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary through a team of 42 staff attorneys and more than 250 pro bono lawyers. In 2025, PLS helped more than 28,000 people across the region — including 750 Transylvania County residents, among them 244 children. Of Transylvania County’s population, an estimated 10,000 residents are income-eligible for PLS services.
PLS’s Children’s Law Program, established in 1995, sits at the heart of its local work — providing legal representation to low-income families to prevent homelessness, stop child abuse, help families escape domestic violence, improve unsafe housing conditions, and stabilize families through custody and guardianship support. Research underscores why this work matters: 81% of landlords in eviction proceedings have legal representation, while only 3% of tenants do — a gap that dramatically increases families’ vulnerability. And studies show that women’s access to legal assistance is the only public service proven to reduce domestic abuse over the long term.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, PLS has also taken on recovery-focused legal advocacy for Transylvania County families facing housing instability, eviction, and insurance disputes as they work to rebuild.
Lake Toxaway Charities is proud to support Pisgah Legal Services and its Children’s Law Program, ensuring that vulnerable families in our community have access to the legal protection they need.
Learn More: https://www.pisgahlegal.org/
