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When federal funding cuts and grant freezes hit local nonprofits, many in Charlotte’s safety-net community were forced to make painful choices. One of them, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, has spent decades standing up for the region’s most vulnerable residents — and now finds itself navigating a financial test of its own.
In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, The Ledger’s Lindsey Banks talks with Larissa Mañón Mervin, the organization’s new CEO and its first permanent woman and Latina leader. Mervin explains the toll of federal disruptions, the community partnerships keeping services alive, and why access to civil legal aid remains essential for thousands of Mecklenburg County residents. They also discuss:
How Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy serves 10,000 clients a year in housing, healthcare, immigration and family law
What the ongoing federal grant pauses and North Carolina’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) funding freeze mean for frontline legal aid
The story of a mother who regained childcare support thanks to the center’s advocacy
Why Mervin views crisis as a chance for creativity and collaboration
The organization’s recent acquisition of the Council for Children’s Rights’ education law program
Reflections on being the center’s first permanent woman and Latina CEO — and the mentors who paved the way
How Charlotte residents can support legal aid through time, skill or donations
We hope you enjoy the conversation with Larissa Mañón Mervin. For more information on the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, please visit CharlotteLegalAdvocacy.org.
This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.
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