Join RFPIO in supporting the St. Andrew Legal Clinic

Last Saturday, the RFPIO team laced up our running shoes, did a few stretches and put our feet to the pavement in participation with the St. Andrew Legal Clinic’s (SALC) 18th annual Race for Justice 5K.

St. Andrew Legal Clinic provides legal representation for low-income people in family law cases, including child custody, child support, domestic violence prevention, divorce, and adoption. According to their website, 50 percent of SALC’s clients have an income of $1,400 or less each month, and 45 percent belong to a minority group.

The organization has been serving Oregon families for over 38 years. They have offices in both Multnomah and Washington counties.

Executive Director at SALC, Kevin McHargue, said, “Because St. Andrew Legal Clinic charges a sliding scale fee based on income, we rely heavily on support from the community through events like the annual Race for Justice 5K.”

This year’s event brought in over $100,000 in donations, and all of that money will go toward legal services for SALC’s clients.

The Race for Justice was an all-ages event, with fun for the kids like clowns, balloon animals, and a children’s race before the official 5K. It was a clear, sunny morning for some exercise, and though our paces varied (some by a lot), each member of the RFPIO team put forth a lot of effort and had a good time. And we were even rewarded with pizza and beer at the end!

There are other ways to help the St. Andrew Legal Clinic and their clients throughout the year. Along with the Race for Justice, SALC puts on a food and wine event called the Taste for Justice, coming up this October 18th at the Elysian Ballroom in SW Portland.

Organizations can sponsor the Race for Justice and Taste for Justice, and individual participants can join, volunteer or donate money.

If you or someone you know might be a candidate for their services, the SALC’s contact information can be found on their website at www.salcgroup.org.