Hello, LAWM friends! 

We hope you are doing well, and staying warm and dry. Springtime should be here soon. Right? Right? Here is this month’s newsletter:
  • A story about how we help clients benefit from public housing resources
  • Free education programs for social services professionals (This week! Register today!)
  • Doctors and lawyers working together?
  • Info to help low-income taxpayers 1) file accurately and 2) maximize tax benefits.

Thanks for reading! Please forward the newsletter to a friend! And you can always donate here!
Client Story: Helping a Senior Achieve his Housing Goal
“Harry” is a senior living with a disability. He got his first-ever housing voucher and found a co-living arrangement with his caretaker. However, this arrangement required special approval from the housing authority.

Harry found it hard to advocate with the housing authority on his own, and with time running out quickly for him to use the voucher, he was at risk of losing it. Harry came to us. Within 24 hours of Legal Aid getting involved, Harry got an extension of time to finalize his living arrangements and use the voucher. This is the value of legal aid: a simple intervention to help our client communicate his needs, comply with the housing authority's process, and achieve his housing goal.
Donuts & The Law!
There's still time to sign up for our free “legal basics” programs for employees with nonprofits, government agencies, and other social services providers!

  • What: Legal issues which impact lower-income homeowners and buyers
  • Who should register: staffers with service-provider organizations who want to learn the legal basics. This is a class by lawyers for non-lawyers.
  • When:
Eastern Ave. Church, 514 Eastern Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

United Way of the Lakeshore, 31 East Clay Ave, Muskegon, MI 49442

[Donuts & The Law will come to Kalamazoo and St. Joseph in April!]

  • Why: Learn useful stuff! Network with new people! Eat free donuts!
  • How: Let’s do this! Registration is required! (click on an image below to go to the relevant Eventbrite page)
What's a Medical Legal Partnership?
Doctors and lawyers working together? Really? Yes, really! In both Berrien and Kent counties, we partner with healthcare systems that serve our client communities: Corewell Health in Berrien County and Cherry Health in Kent County.

The goal: identifying and solving legal problems that may be impacting our patient/client’s health. For example, mold in an apartment may cause serious respiratory problems for a senior. Our Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) team can address the medical symptoms, but we don’t stop there. We also attack the underlying legal problem: an apartment which needs landlord upkeep. By working with healthcare providers, we provide the kind of holistic solutions that let people move on with their lives.
Pictured: LAWM MLP Staff Attorney Sara Tuffli and Community Health Worker Socorro Rodriguez of Cherry Health presenting about the Medical Legal Partnership.
Tax Season Resources
We have some 2023 Tax Filing tips to help you get your refund fast!
And here's a handy list of go-to resources from the IRS.
Every gift changes lives. Thank you!