At a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception yesterday, Mayor Scott Avedisian welcomed the Rhode Island Center for Law and Public Policy (RICLAPP) to Warwick.

"The outreach and advocacy work that they do is very, very important. We are very happy that they are in Warwick," Avedisian said.

"RICLAPP, whose mission is to provide access to legal services to low-income Rhode Islanders, small nonprofit agencies and for-profit small businesses, among other things, was started as a way to increase access for all Rhode Islanders to the legal system," said president and founder Geoff Schoos during a speech to those in attendance for the ceremony.

Currently, RICLAPP is made up of three staff members, four interns, an active board of directors and about a dozen volunteers. Schoos said their approach is proactive, reaching out to people to get them the help they need. They are even willing to make house calls, he said, which is important to him because the staffers then get to interact with the public on a more personal level and the people in need of assistance usually feel more secure in their own home. RICLAPP offices are in the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce building across from Warwick City Hall.

RICLAPP currently has a working relationship with the Cranston Senior Center and in the coming months will begin offering clinics at senior centers in Warwick, Providence and East Greenwich. Avedisian said he is looking forward to working with RICLAPP to replicate the relationship they have with the Cranston Senior Center.

Director of community outreach Jeannine Schoos, who is also Geoff's daughter, said they are focusing on elderly work at the moment, but will be expanding soon.

Geoff said they understand people become intimidated by the legal system. A small problem, left ignored, can become a big problem and in the end can be more expensive both monetarily and emotionally, he said.

"We are trying to get people in the door early to mitigate the problems early," Geoff said. "We try to be as comfortable for our clients as possible. We try to clear out some of the daunting aspects of a confusing legal system."

Jeannine said the nonprofit organization was founded in March 2008, but picked up steam last month. She said she looks at the ribbon cutting as a turning point. With a projected budget of $100,000, RICLAPP is funded through grants, donations and fundraisers.

She also pointed out that one interesting thing about the organization is that they are accessible for people with moderate incomes and not just those below the poverty line. Many people who would normally be denied assistance through other means can turn to them for help, she said.

As for why they chose to house their organization in Warwick, Jeannine said it is because Warwick is the center of the state. They wanted to be easily accessible and the size and diversity of the city was appealing, she said.

Jeannine said it is great to be able to help her dad fulfill his dreams and also, since she grew up in Rhode Island, she loves that she is able to give back.

"The more work we do the more we see the need. We work with one person and see that there are five others just like them," she said. We are trying to make others' lives easier. We can really change and affect someone's life in a positive way.”