LSHV and Mastercard Host Financial Empowerment Clinic for Clients

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) is the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services to those that cannot afford an attorney in the seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley. In pursuit of this mission, LSHV maintains a staff of 135 individuals, including 80 attorneys and 25+ paralegals working across nine offices throughout our service area. However, due to the overwhelming need for free civil legal services, our staff is not able to serve all the clients that come to us for help. To address this gap in services, LSHV’s Pro Bono Unit engages private attorneys who volunteer their time and expertise on cases that the agency wouldn’t otherwise be able to handle. The Pro Bono Unit also provides education and outreach to potential clients and our partners in the community.

On June 26th, LSHV and its long-standing community partner, Mastercard, jointly sponsored a financial empowerment clinic at The LOFT: LGBT Community Services Center in White Plains. This clinic is part of an ongoing pro bono and volunteer collaboration between Mastercard and LSHV, first initiated in 2015. Through the collaboration, Mastercard has provided education as well as legal advice on consumer and financial matters to members of the community.

During the recent clinic, Mercedes Eggleton-Garcia, Vice President, Global Community Relations at Mastercard, shared information to help attendees and their friends and family to get more from their money through electronic payments. Some of the tips included how to select the right type of card for their needs, while learning about the importance of card safety and fraud protection. The “Master Your Card” program has been developed to help young adults make smarter financial decisions and become more active members of the financial community.

Speaking of the partnership, LSHV’s Chief Development Officer, Tom Gabriel, said, “For the past several years, Mastercard has been a leading partner for LSHV in the communities we both serve. Our collaboration with Mastercard is incredibly valuable to our clients, who have gained access to high-quality financial advice and education.”

For more information about Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, to volunteer, or contribute, please visit www.lshv.org, or contact Tom Gabriel, Chief Development Officer, at 914-949-1305 ext 160.

Pictured: Staff from Mastercard, The LOFT, and LSHV.