LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

Lutheran Ministries and Social Services of Waco
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ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

 

 

Francine Lumbard is a highly experienced educator who has also served in the legal field since the early 1990s. In addition to a two-year Associate of Technical Arts degree from an American Bar Association approved Legal Assistant Program at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Washington; Ms. Lumbard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington, a Masters of Speech from Oklahoma State University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Baylor University. A member of the National Association of Legal Assistants, she has also earned continuing legal education credits in the areas of family law, elder law, domestic violence and immigration law.

 

During her years in Washington Ms. Lumbard worked as both a Court Appointed Special Advocate and a registered paralegal Guardian Ad Litem in the Snohomish County Court system. She has recently served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, as well as a guest lecturer in courses at Baylor University.  

LMSS-WACO HISTORY

 

In late 2004, members of First Lutheran Church - located in a low-income neighborhood of downtown Waco decided to expand the church’s social ministry community outreach. So they created a social justice ministry/legal education assistance program as an extension of services to indigent persons who participated in a weekly community breakfast held at the church. 

 

According to the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation, 14.2 percent of Texas families are living in poverty. Waco is the fifth poorest city in Texas and the 16th poorest city in the United States. In 2008, to qualify for civil legal services from a federally funded Legal Aid organization, an individual could not have an income greater than $1,038 per month and a family of four could not have an annual income greater than $27,563. Beyond these statistics there is the problem of Legal Aid organizations typically turning away one-half of all income-eligible, case-eligible applicants due to a lack of staffing resources. 

 

After a few months it became apparent that the need for legal support services being offered through the Legal Assistance Project went far beyond what was originally anticipated by the church itself. So in 2005 - using seed money and donated space provided by First Lutheran Church - Lutheran Ministries and Social Services of Waco became incorporated as a 501(c) (3) non-profit.

 

In November 2008, LMSS-Waco became an ELCA nationally affiliated social ministry organization. You can find our listing as well as information on 300 nationally affiliated Lutheran social service providers by visiting the Lutheran Services website.