LASP helps Veterans and families at risk of homelessness
(Aug. 31, 2021) Through LASP's partnership with the Veterans Multi-Service Center (VMC) starting in June 2020, advocates in the Veterans Advocacy Project have provided legal services to 112 veterans experiencing or at risk of experience homelessness. For these veterans and veteran families, LASP opened 298 cases for matters ranging from public benefits, Social Security, and unemployment compensation to landlord-tenant to VA benefits and discharge upgrades to criminal records expungements.
These numbers include VAP's expanded outreach/representation to assist VMC participants experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in 13 counties in central and northern PA (Centre, Clinton, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Snyder, Tioga, and Union) in collaboration with North Penn Legal Services and MidPenn Legal Services.
LASP's Veterans Advocacy Project is funded in part by VMC, who receives funding from the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. In June, the VA awarded $418 million in grants to more than 260 non-profit organizations, which enabled low-income Veteran families in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties and around the nation, to access services under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. SSVF grantees are authorized to use the funds to rapidly re-house Veterans who become homeless or to prevent Veterans from becoming homeless, which includes partnering with legal service agencies to provided necessary advocacy to preserve housing.
VA funding announcement: bit.ly/3m5fiVW.
Note: A version of this story appeared in August 2021 e-news: https://conta.cc/3gLhlL9.
Call Legal Aid of Southeastern PA’s Veterans Advocacy Helpline at 610-283-0884. LASP can help with VA benefits, discharge upgrades, and civil legal aid in multiple areas of the law.
Some additional veterans stories at lasp.org
“Resources for Veterans: Delaware County Bar Association panelists share resources to help veterans and families” (Dec. 14, 2020)
https://www.lasp.org/news/resources-for-veterans-delaware-county-bar-association
“LASP launches new Veterans Advocacy Project during COVID-19” (June 28, 2020)
https://www.lasp.org/news/lasp-launches-veterans-advocacy-project-during-covid