Nationally, about 80 percent of low-income Americans who need legal help in civil cases don't receive any. The number of people who qualified for assistance jumped by about 11 million since 2007, due in part to the economic recession. This has left millions of people eligible for assistance - individuals and families who earn less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level, now set at $27,564 a year for a family of four.

As a crucial component of the Single Stop model, Single Stop USA partners with legal services providers to provide free legal counseling to people in need at Single Stop sites.

These legal partners provide critically needed legal assistance to prevent evictions, provide access to public benefits, assist in cases of domestic violence, and advocate on behalf of clients in a variety of legal areas.

These traditional legal services are provided in unconventional locations, including schools, food pantries, soup kitchens, hospitals, clinics, community colleges and at community based organizations where people in need seek and receive other vital services. These legal providers understand the value to clients of having access to a lawyer who can advise them on issues that can serve as a barrier to their overall economic stability.

By partnering with community agencies and other partners that have a strong client base, Single Stop has seen impressive numbers in cases generated through these partnerships.

In 2009, Single Stop legal partners provided on site, free, confidential legal services to over 10,000 households addressing over 13,000 legal problems. This has resulted in a benefit of over $100 million to low income families.