Topics / SERVICES : County Agency Is a Free Resource

An El Monte service agency can help people in need get legal assistance, psychological counseling, housing, even something as simple as a warm blanket.

All of the San Gabriel Valley Service Center’s assistance is free, and the economy has created plenty of people in need.

So why is the center lacking for clients? People simply don’t know the county-funded agency exists, said Bertha Urrutia, assistant to the center’s director.

“There are a lot of people paying into the system who are not getting any benefits out of it,” she said.

The center, which dispenses advice on everything from rape to minor traffic violations, works as a liaison between government agencies and the public. Created in 1965, it is designed as a one-stop place for people who need help but don’t know where to find it.

A 1993 United Way study found that the San Gabriel Valley has plenty of nonprofit and government agencies offering help to the poor, but that many people are unaware of the services available, or have transportation or other problems that keep them from seeking help.

For anyone who has ever tried to get through to a government agency, it comes as no surprise how easy it is to get lost in the system. Many people who call the center have been bounced from voice mail to voice mail and are surprised to get a human being on the phone.

“We act as a personal guide to cut through the tangle of bureaucracies,” Urrutia said.

The San Gabriel Valley Service Center is at 3017 North Tyler Ave. in El Monte. Information: (818) 575-5431.