By Managing Attorney for Community Engagement Anne K. Sweeney

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

1223 West Sixth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
www.lasclev.org

CLEVELAND, Ohio-The overall mission of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland is to secure justice and to seek to resolve fundamental problems for those who are low income and vulnerable by providing high quality legal services. As we paused this week to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are reminded of the importance of collaborating and working together to extend justice. There are several timely topics and Legal Aid news in 2022.

First, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, our brief advice clinics normally held at Cleveland Public Library will be virtual in January & February 2022. All sessions will be conducted via phone or video call. Interested clients can register by Saturday, January 22 and a consult will be scheduled for the week of January 24 - 29. Visit www.lasclev.org and click on "events" for the most recent info and details for all our clinics.

In the meantime, Legal Aid is open 24/7 online - taking intake applications at this link. Or, potential clients can call Legal Aid for help during most business hours at 888-817-3777.

And, community members with questions about a housing issue can call our Tenant Info Line (216-861-5955 or 440-210-4533) anytime. For employment questions, community members can call our Worker Info Line (216-861-5899 or 440-210-4532).

In other news –

New Education Series for Service Providers and Community Partners: Refugee Legal Issues
Interested in learning more about common civil legal issues faced by refugees resettling in Ohio? Starting January 18, join us online for an education series, presented in partnership with CWRU Students for Refugees and the Refugee Services Collaborative. This series is geared towards staff and volunteers at community agencies who work with immigrants – but it is open to anyone else interested! Visit our website for details & registration.

Our latest community newsletter is now online!
Our winter edition of The Alert explores topics such as co-ops, community land trusts, public records requests, and more! Contributors include impactful organizations such as Cleveland Owns and Cleveland Documenters, along with guest writers Zach Germaniuk, Esq. of Slavic Village Development and Eddy Eckart of the Ashtabula County Land Bank. We hope you enjoy this edition of The Alert!

WOVU 95.9 FM on January 20 at 10 a.m.
WOVU and Legal Aid present: Life & The Law - Conversations About Your Rights, a monthly radio program featuring timely legal topics. On January 20 at 10:00 a.m., Legal Aid staff will be live on 95.9 FM to share legal information about Social Security benefits. Listen live on 95.9 FM, or visit this link to stream the conversation online.

Lunch with Legal Aid on January 27 at 12:30 p.m.
Our Facebook Live series, now called "Lunch with Legal Aid", will be held from 12:30-1:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month. Join us for our first 2022 program on January 27 for Social Security 101.

Providers and Partners: Your Feedback Wanted!
Do you work with clients and community members who are navigating civil legal problems related to housing, debt, education, starting a nonprofit/business, or other issues? What more do you need to know about these civil justice topics? Please share your feedback by January 21 – complete the survey now. Your help will inform our work in 2022.

In addition to the above Legal Aid news, we also wanted to share with you some other important community news –

Tax Preparation Assistance: A variety of resources are available to help Northeast Ohio residents with tax preparation. Contact 2-1-1 or visit our website for links to tax preparation assistance programs in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain Counties.

Northeast Ohio Winter Utility Assistance: The cold winter months are here. Funds are available to help Ohioans afford utilities like heat. Contact 2-1-1 or visit our website for links to winter utility assistance programs for Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain Counties.

Applicants Sought for Citizen Journalism Course: The Land is a local news startup that reports on Cleveland's neighborhoods and inner ring suburbs. The Land is now offering an exciting citizen journalism course! The Land is looking for 10 Cleveland residents with a desire to write about their own neighborhoods, civic issues, local politics, and more. No experience is necessary. This program is for Cleveland residents and includes a stipend. Apply here.

Thank you, again, for your partnership! We hope that the information and resources above are helpful to you and your communities. As always, please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,

Anne K. Sweeney
Managing Attorney for Community Engagement

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
1223 West Sixth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
www.lasclev.org