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- Thank you to Hatboro Federal Savings for a $100,000 donation through PA's Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program
- 2018-19 Annual Report sneak peek: Thanks to our donors, pro bono volunteers, board, advocacy team & community partners!
- Helpline continues to thrive | Online intake's 2-year anniversary
- In the news: 2021 federal budget proposal eliminates Legal Services Corp.
- In the news: Changes to SNAP will impact 92,000 Pennsylvanians
- Amy Lowenstein of Pennsylvania Health Law Project on Community HealthChoices
- HealthSpark Foundation event connects community to strengthen Safety Net Resiliency Initiative in Montco
- PLAN reception at Antique Automobile Club of America Museum
- BUCKS: Expungement workshop March 21 in Bristol Twp.
- CHESCO: Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project expands in 2020
- DELCO upcoming events: Expungement Clinic | Section 8 seminar | CLE 3/13 - 100th anniversary of 19th Amendment
- MONTCO: Susan Strong presents at senior centers
- LASP attorney profiles: Annie Neamand | Richard Prebil | Kathryn Palladino
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Thank you to Hatboro Federal Savings Bank and PA's Neighborhood Assistance Program!
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Hatboro Federal Savings leaders present a $100,000 check to LASP! From left:
John Douglass, Hatboro Federal Savings Vice President/Chief Operating Officer;
Joshua Goldblum, LASP Managing Attorney, Bristol Office;
Jennifer Pierce, LASP Managing Attorney, Doylestown Office;
Shawn Boehringer, LASP Executive Director; and
Linda Roehner, Hatboro Federal Savings President/Chief Executive Officer.
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$100,000 donation from Hatboro Federal Savings!
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HATBORO - A huge
thank you
to
Hatboro Federal Savings
for partnering with LASP through the Neighborhood Assistance (NAP) Tax Credit Program!
The NAP award was announced Nov. 15, and a ceremonial check was presented at Hatboro Federal Savings on March 2. The partnership will provide LASP with $100,000 to increase legal services in in the economically struggling areas of Bristol borough, Levittown and nearby communities (zip codes 19007, 19020, 19021, 19056 and 19057)
. About 35% of Bucks County’s low-income people live in this area, and about 51,000 are eligible for LASP services. Last year, LASP had resources to serve only 743.
The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) administers the NAP program, which
encourages businesses to invest in projects which improve distressed areas.
“Hatboro Federal Savings has a strong and active commitment to the local Bucks and Montgomery communities," said
Linda Roehner, President and CEO of Hatboro Federal Savings. "We are so excited to contribute this year through the Neighborhood Assistance Project to Legal Aid of Southeastern PA."
Habitat for Humanity and Philabundance also were awarded 2019-20 funding through the state tax credit program to improve and expand services in Bucks County.
In thanking Hatboro Federal Savings for the contribution,
Judith A. Algeo
, Esq., President of LASP's Board of Directors, noted,
“The partnership with LASP for the Neighborhood Assistance Program is an incredible enhancement of services for our LASP clients.”
LASP anticipates hiring a staff attorney to serve an additional 100 people in the target area. Of these, about 40 will receive direct legal assistance to maintain housing, successfully appeal a benefits denial, or obtain a Protection from Abuse order. Sixty people will benefit from legal advice that is specific to their situation. They will gain an improved understanding of their situation so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families. More information about the program is at:
http://bit.ly/2TpBxqG.
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2018-19 LASP Annual Report
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Fresh Starts and Second Chances
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LASP provides FRESH STARTS & SECOND CHANCES through civil legal advocacy.
In 2018-19, LASP handled 9,745 cases benefiting 21,302 clients and their families
, in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
This Annual Report thanks our donors, pro bono volunteers, board members, advocacy staff, community partners, and all who contributed their time, talent and/or treasure
to increase access to justice and level the playing field in our courts.
Please let us know your thoughts
on the 2018-19 report! Contact
Shawn Boehringer
, Executive Director, at
sboehringer@lasp.org;
Ann Tydeman-Solomon
, Deveopment Director, at
asolomon@lasp.org
; or
Marion Hoffman Fraley,
Communications Manager and editor, at
mfraley@lasp.org
.
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LASP Helpline continues to thrive;
online intake reaches 2nd anniversary
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NORRISTOWN - LASP's legal Helpline opened 3,755 cases in calendar year 2019, or about half of the cases opened program-wide.
Nanci Hoover, Supervising Attorney for the Helpline, also noted that about 200 people per month submit online applications at
www.lasp.org/apply-here.
LASP launched the online application portal in March 2018, receiving an initial 70 applications soon after opening. "It started off strong and hasn't gone down," she said.
Zandra Rawlins-Adens, Staff Paralegal, coordinates online intake.
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New SNAP time limit starts in April 2020
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Law to impact SNAP recipients ages 18-49, who are not working & not exempt
SNAP recipients ages 18-49, who are not working and not exempt, will face new requirements starting April 1, 2020. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps). The federal law could impact about 92,000 Pennsylvanians, including SNAP recipients in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.The new law is part of the Farm Bill and uses the term "ABAWDs" (Able Bodied Adults without Dependents) in referring to SNAP recipients who are impacted. For more information and resources, visit
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia and the
Coalition Against Hunger.
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2021 federal budget proposal eliminates Legal Services Corp., a major funder of LASP
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WASHINGTON - For the fourth consecutive year, the White House budget proposal submitted to Congress seeks to eliminate federal funding for Legal Services Corp., a major funder of LASP:
http://bit.ly/2I86s4u.
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Amy Lowenstein of Pennsylvania Health Law Project
discusses Community HealthChoices at LASP
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Amy Lowenstein, a Supervising Attorney based in Pennsylvania Health Law Project's Philadelphia office, presents legal information on
Community HealthChoices (CHC) to LASP attorneys at a public benefits affinity group meeting.
CHC is Pennsylvania’s mandatory managed care program for individuals who are eligible for both Medical Assistance and Medicare, and older adults and individuals with physical disabilities
who receive services that help them live in community settings, or who live in a nursing home.
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NORRISTOWN - Members of LASP's public benefits team from all four counties joined
Amy Lowenstein (at rear left center), a Supervising Attorney for Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP), on Feb. 26 to learn about Community HealthChoices.
Pictured (clockwise from Amy):
Nanci Hoover, Supervising Attorney, Helpline; Staff Attorneys
Susan Strong,
Richard Prebil and
Savita Egerev;
Kesha James, Deputy Director for Advocacy;
Michael E. Kelley, Norristown Managing Attorney;
Deborah Steeves, Staff Attorney;
Kelly Young, Legal Intern;
Michelle R. Terry, Delaware County Managing Attorney;
Kathryn Palladino, Staff Attorney; and
Shawn Boehringer, Executive Director.
Not pictured
:
Tesla Thomas, Staff Attorney;
Daniel Cortes, Community Engagement Staff Attorney; and
Erik Hansen, Deputy Director for Operations.
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Safety Net Resiliency Initiative
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'Building Community: People, Power & Purpose'
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BLUE BELL -
HealthSpark Foundation brought together area nonprofits and leaders for an inspiring discussion of "Building Community: People, Power and Purpose," as part of the Safety Net Resiliency Initiative. Two hundred nonprofit staff and board members joined business owners; government staff from all levels; community advocates; and more on Feb. 18 at Normandy Farms, Blue Bell.
The initiative envisions "a resilient and financially sustainable safety net that allows anyone in Montgomery County, PA to access high quality, coordinated, equitable and culturally appropriate services no matter who they are, what they need or where they live." To learn more about the Safety Net Initiative, visit HealthSpark's website:
http://bit.ly/3c7CGe2.
Pictured above (from left):
Dave Eckert, Director of the Intersect Initiative for Access Services, Inc.;
Mary Onama, Executive Director, Victim Services Center of Montgomery County, Inc.;
Donna Cooper, Executive Director for Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY); and
Meghan McVety of Catalyst Center For Nonprofit Management.
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Nicole McCoy (second from left) of LASP's Regional Housing Unit, and
Kesha James (center), Deputy Director for Advocacy, discuss community-building at HealthSpark Foundation's fifth annual event.
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Russell Johnson, HealthSpark Foundation President and CEO, presents opening remarks.
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PLAN reception at PA Conference of County Bar Leaders
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HERSHEY - It was "Back to the Future" Feb. 27 in Hershey, at the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) reception during the PA Conference of County Bar Leaders. The PLAN gathering took place at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey.
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Shawn Boehringer (center), LASP Executive Director, with
Patrick Cicero (at left), new PLAN Executive Director, and
Sam MIlkes, Executive Director Emeritus; with a DeLorean.
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At the "
Age of Aquarius: Cars of the Counterculture and Beyond" special exhibit, at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey (from left):
Jan Terpening;
Sam Milkes;
Patrick Cicero
,
Arlene Marshall-Hockensmith
, Esq., PLAN Administrative Assistant; and
Jim Swoyer
, Grants Manager for PA Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA).
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LASP to present at Rep. Tina Davis' Criminal Expungement & Financial Literacy Workshop
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BRISTOL TOWNSHIP - LASP attorneys will provide legal information on expungements, record-clearing and pardons at a free workshop
Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sponsored by State Rep. Tina Davis, the Expungement & Financial Literacy Workshop will be at
Bristol Township Senior Center, 2501 Bath Road, Bristol 19007. Click for the
Facebook event page.
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Mobile home project expands to Southern Chester County
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At a volunteer training Feb. 15,
Brian Doyle
(center),
LASP Staff Attorney and Chester County Pro Bono Coordinator, explains the paperwork needed for mobile home owners to appeal their tax assessments. Other presenters were
Kevin Zeeger
(at left), food pantry volunteer, and
Darshana Shyamsunder (at right), Director of Community Impact Initiatives for United Way of Chester County.
Photo below
: Kevin presents an overview of the Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project.
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Training for paralegals, Penn Law students & UWSCC volunteers will help expand Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project in 2020
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WILLOWDALE - The Chester County Mobile Home Tax Appeal Project is expanding in 2020! After 177 of 177 successful appeals in 2019,
United Way of Chester County
,
LASP
,
Honey Brook Food Pantry
and
Lord's Pantry
hope to reach 1,000 mobile home owners in 2020. Volunteers, including some members of the
Chester County Paralegal Association Penn Law students,
and volunteers from
United Way of Chester County
(UWSCC), learned about the project at trainings on Feb. 15 and 22 in Willowdale.
Missed the trainings? It's still possible to volunteer for this impactful project. Pro bono attorneys, paralegals, law students, and interested community members all are welcome and are vital to expanding the program across Chester County, and can learn how-to's at the outreach events from experienced volunteers.
For more information
, contact
Brian Doyle, Staff Attorney and Chester County Pro Bono Coordinator, at 610-436-4510 x211 or
bdoyle@lasp.org
.
In just a morning or an afternoon, YOU can help your neighbors!
March clinics
Friday,
March 13 | Saturday,
March 14
Wednesday,
March 18 | Saturday,
March 21 | Saturday,
March 28
April clinics
Saturday,
April 4 |
Saturday,
April 25
Additional clinics will be added.
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Free Expungement Clinic March 24:
First-ever collaboration between Rep. Kirkland, LASP & the Delco District Attorney's Office
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CHESTER City -
Expunge Your Record - Change Your Life!
Have a record in Delaware County? Come see if you can have it expunged, on
Tuesday, March 24 from
3 - 6 p.m. at
Chester City Hall Community Room, 1 W. Fourth St., Chester 19013. Volunteer lawyers will meet with everyone, and can tell you at the clinic if you are eligible to have your court debt waived, your record expunged or sealed through Clean Slate, or apply for a pardon.
State Rep. Brian Kirkland LASP and the Delaware County District Attorney's office are
collaborating to fast-track people through the expungement process
! This is the first-ever expungement clinic in Delaware County featuring a collaboration with District Attorney's office - let's clear as many records as possible and get Delco residents back to bigger and better opportunities!
Additional partners include re-entry programs, employment, Vital Records and PennDOT. Please see the
clickable flyer.
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Free public seminar:
'S
ection 8 issues in landlord-tenant matters' March 25 at Chester City Hall Community Room
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CHESTER City - Christina Drzal, Supervising Attorney for LASP's Regional Housing Unit, will speak
Wednesday, March 25
at a free public seminar: “Section 8 Issues in Landlord Tenant Matters.”
The event will be from
6:30 - 8 p.m.
at the
Chester City Hall Community Room
, 1 E. Fourth St., Chester 19013. It's sponsored by the Magisterial District Judges’ Committee of the Delaware County Bar Association.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8, is the largest federal low-income housing assistance program. Families who are awarded vouchers use them to help pay part of the cost of rent. Most vouchers permit tenants to live where they choose, provided the landlord will accept voucher payments.
This seminar will cover eligibility for the voucher program, tenant responsibilities, landlord responsibilities and common misconceptions about the program.
In addition to Christina, the panel also will include
Laura D. Blackburn
, Director, Housing Choice Voucher Program, Delaware County Housing Authority;
Mary L. Militello
, Director, Chester Housing Authority, Lee Stivale, Esq., Stivale Law Offices; and Magisterial District Judges
Dawn Vann
and
Wilden Davis
. Magisterial District Judge
Deborah Krull
will moderate. See
clickable flyer
.
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Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment:
CLE March 13 at Delaware County Bar Assoc.
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MEDIA - Celebrating the centennial of the 19th Amendment and Women’s History Month, the Delaware County Bar Association (DCBA)'s Women in the Law Committee will host
Mary Walton, author of
A Woman’s Crusade: Alice Paul and the Battle for the Ballot and former Philadelphia
Inquirer reporter, on
Friday, March 13 from
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. (registration at 3:15 p.m.). The CLE seminar will take place at DCBA, 335 W. Front St., Media 19063. Walton will cover the process, politics and persuasion in play during Ms. Paul’s hard-fought effort to secure ratification of the 19th Amendment before the 1920 election. Discussion will include the campaign waged by the National Woman’s Party to achieve women’s right to vote.
Cost is $25 for DCBA members, $45 for non-member attorneys, and $15 for non-attorneys. Walton’s book will be available for sale for $15; book signing will follow the CLE.
Register at the DCBA event page.
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Susan Strong presents in Souderton & Lower Merion
SOUDERTON - LASP Staff Attorney Susan Strong presented legal information about powers of attorney and living wills on March 2 at
Generations of Indian Valley
senior cente
r in Souderton. Generations of Indian Valley is a nonprofit community center serving active senior adults in Souderton, Telford, Franconia and surrounding communities.
Susan also spoke about LASP services
at the
PALM (Positive Aging in Lower Merion)
senior center on Jan. 30.
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38 helped at expungement clinic
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CONSHOHOCKEN - 38 people received information about criminal record expungements, record sealing, and pardons at a free clinic Feb. 6 at Conshohocken Borough Hall.
State Rep. Mary Jo Daley sponsored the clinic. LASP attorneys and pro bono volunteers provided legal information. Rep. Daley and her staff were on hand to provide information on state services.
Pictured (from left):
Joshua Burd
, Penn Law student volunteer;
Daniel Cortes
, LASP Community Engagement Staff Attorney;
Rep. Mary Jo Daley
;
Erica Briant
, LASP Supervising Attorney, Community Engagement Unit;
Gal Sagi
, Penn Law student volunteer; and
Kate Roth
, pro bono attorney.
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CHESTER City -
Annie Neamand joined LASP as a Regional Housing Attorney in August. She has been working with Christina Drzal and the housing unit on homeownership issues. Annie regularly helps clients facing mortgage foreclosure, tax foreclosure, and ejectment; her focus is
keeping clients in their homes. She especially loves being able to help elderly people stay in their homes with At-Risk Extensions that
allow the elderly to postpone foreclosures in circumstances when a move would be detrimental to their health. Annie holds a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, and a B.A. in philosophy from Temple University. Prior to starting at LASP, she worked in contract law and briefly for a personal injury firm.
"I'm thrilled to be working for an organization whose sole purpose is to help those who need it most," Annie said. Her office is in Chester City. She can be reached at 610-874-8421 or
aneamand@lasp.org.
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NORRISTOWN -
Kathryn Palladino
, Esq.
joined LASP in August as a Staff Attorney in the Norristown Office. She handles custody and Social Security cases for LASP. During law school, Kathryn interned with the Montgomery County Public Defender and the Villanova Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic. After law school, Kathryn developed a robust private practice, including custody, adoptions, divorce, Protection from Abuse, unemployment, dependency and expungement work. During her time as an associate at a small local firm, Kathryn volunteered for LASP pro bono cases and at driver’s license restoration and expungement clinics. She also volunteered for the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project and the Montgomery County Eviction Prevention & Intervention Coalition (EPIC). She can be reached at 610-275-5400 x124 or
kpalladino@lasp.org
.
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CHESTER City - An accredited attorney with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs,
Richard Prebil
joined LASP in September as a Staff Attorney in the Chester City Office in Delaware County. He provides legal advice and representation to individuals in matters such as private landlord/tenant, public/Section 8 housing, child custody, SNAP/Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and Social Security
. During his first year of law school,
Richard interned at the Indian Child Welfare Law Center and Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans in Minnesota and the Center for Disability & Elder Law in Chicago.
While at Villanova Law School, Richard interned at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, the Villanova Civil Justice Clinic, and the Homeless Advocacy Project.
After law school, Richard worked for two years as an Equal Justice Works Fellow with the Military Assistance Project, providing direct representation, education and outreach to advocate for and assist veterans in financial crisis, particularly those experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Springfield.
Outside of his advocacy on behalf of Delco residents,
Richard lives in Philadelphia and loves exploring every part of the city, from the history of Old City to the beauty of Wissahickon Park. When asked to describe his work at LASP, he said, “Providing these needed services are only one part of what we really do. A huge aspect of being a legal services attorney is creating the space for an individual to tell their story, to know that they are heard, and to hopefully get a good outcome for whatever brought them to you.”
Richard can be reached at 610-874-8421 or
rprebil@lasp.org
.
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Free civil legal aid
for low-income and vulnerable people helps level the playing field in our courts in
Bucks, Chester, Delaware & Montgomery counties. Please visit
our secure Network for Good page:
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Legal Aid of Southeastern PA
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Copyright ©2020. All Rights Reserved.
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