Our Mission

“The Hawkins Center’s mission is to use the law to promote fairness, economic stability, and access to healthcare, employment, and supportive services.   Through individual representation, directed advocacy, and educational outreach, we enable people living with physical, mental, and civil disabilities overcome barriers to self-sufficiency.   We honor the dignity of those we serve and treat all clients with respect.”

The Hawkins Center largely serves individuals who lack the basic resources they need to stabilize their lives.   Many are physically disabled after years of work; approximately half have mental disabilities.    Inadequate housing and nutrition, homelessness and poverty are common problems.   Most of our clients have a limited education and many are functionally illiterate.   At the time they come to us, most clients do not have heatlh insurance, but rely on county-funded indigent healthcare programs.

The Hawkins Center supports itself through legal fees generated through our Social Security disability advocacy practice.    Legal fees for Social Security disability representation are based on a percentage of the claimant’s recovery and are paid only if the client recovers benefits.    The legal fees generated through our SSDI/SSI practice allows us to offer an array of free civil legal services to our clients in our larger Disability Benefits Advocacy Program, HIV Legal Services Program, Mental Health Medical-Legal Partnership, Legal and Workforce Services Partnership, and our Reentry Legal Services program.   In addition, as a non-profit social services agency, The Hawkins Center fees help support and develop Rubicon Programs‘ holistic model of social service delivery to the San Francisco Bay Area community.

By choosing The Hawkins Center for your Social Security representation, you are choosing to invest and give back to the San Francisco Bay Area community!