Legal Aid of North Carolina has been in the news this week, and for good (or not so good) reason. A statewide freeze on one of our key funding sources, the North Carolina Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, has sent shockwaves through the civil legal aid system and the communities we serve.
The freeze, passed as part of Senate Bill 429 (the Public Safety Act), halts IOLTA grants and removes more than $6.3 million in funding from Legal Aid of North Carolina. These dollars do not just support our work. They support people. Veterans seeking stability. Survivors of domestic violence finding safety. Seniors protecting their independence. Families recovering from disasters.
Recent coverage from WFAE, The Charlotte Observer, Law360 and The Rocky Mount Telegram highlights what is at stake. Rural communities are especially vulnerable, and we’re already seeing the effects. The closure of our Rocky Mount office means thousands of North Carolinians in Edgecombe, Greene, Lenoir, Nash, Wayne, and Wilson counties will lose a nearby lifeline for critical legal help.
If a resolution does not come soon, more offices, mostly in rural communities, are at risk of closing.
We want to be clear: this is a difficult moment, but not a defining one.
Legal Aid of North Carolina was built for moments like this. For more than two decades, we have stood shoulder to shoulder with our neighbors in every county across the state, helping them find safety, stability, and justice when it mattered most. That commitment remains unshaken.
When one community is hurt, all of North Carolina feels it.
The freeze on IOLTA funding does not just affect Legal Aid. It affects our veterans trying to access earned benefits, our seniors facing abuse or exploitation, and survivors of violence who depend on protective orders to stay safe.
Even in the face of this challenge, North Carolina’s spirit of compassion and community is shining through. Foundations, partners, and supporters across the state are stepping forward to help bridge the gap and ensure our neighbors continue to have access to justice and hope.
As our CEO Ashley Campbell said, “We’re living out the values that make North Carolina strong.”
That strength comes from people like you, people who believe that fairness, dignity, and opportunity should not depend on income or ZIP code.
This moment is about more than funding. It is about protecting our neighbors and preserving the values that make our state stronger together.
We need people like you to speak up, spread the word, and support our work. Together, we can ensure that North Carolina hears the call for justice and that every community has access to the legal help they deserve.