You don't want to miss this year's Roast being held on Thursday, September 23, 2021, where we will we be roasting the incomparable Mickey Maurer at the Crane Bay Event Center in Indianapolis.  

For more information about the event and how to buy tickets or sponsor, click HERE!

The circumstances surrounding a recent case resolved by the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society serves as a reminder regarding the importance that the citizens of our community have immediate access to legal advice and assistance.

(All names in quotation marks have been changed in accordance with the confidentiality owed the client)

"Carol", an elderly woman in the early stages of dementia, contacted Indy Legal Aid after the Social Security Administration stopped her benefits. Unfortunately, Carol had lost her social security card and now SSA thought her situation was a hoax for several reasons and refused to reinstate her benefits.

Carol was born in Georgia with a different name and then married several times. She could not remember who she was married to which hampered finding all the paperwork needed to present to SSA.

Indy Legal Aid attorney, Jennifer Hammond, met with Carol and the decision was made to change Carol’s name to expedite the process with SSA. However, Carol still needed to find her birth certificate, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees. Luckily, her niece and caretaker, "Barbara", was able to locate the documents needed to present at the Court hearing.

Jennifer met with Carol before Covid-19 and it took over a year for Carol’s name change hearing. It was not an easy task to track down all of Carol’s documents. At the hearing, Carol was granted her name change which led to the resumption of her SSA benefits.

Both Carol and Barbara were extremely grateful to Jennifer for the positive outcome. When Carol met with Jennifer, Carol talked about how scared she was at the thought of never receiving her benefits. It just seemed like an insurmountable situation. With Jennifer’s help, Carol was able to start living her life again without constant worry.

Continues Through June

Please don't forget our June fundraiser at Clothes With A Cause in Clay Terrace. By shopping at the boutique or online you can help raise funds for Indy Legal Aid. All profits from CWAC's June sales are earmarked for Indy Legal Aid.

CWAC not only has fabulous clothes, but other fantastic items, such as jewelry, body care products, shoes, home decor, children's items, and much more!

You can shop in the boutique, located at 14405 Clay Terrace Blvd, Ste 110 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday noon to 6:00 p.m. or online at www.clotheswithacause.net.

CWAC is a unique and trendy, fun boutique in Clay Terrace with one purpose - "We exist to help others," said CWAC Founder, Kelli McLaughlin. CWAC offers each customer the opportunity to make an impact in the world with each purchase. With every purchase made at CWAC, all profits from the sale go to help their monthly charity.

Indy Legal Aid recently produced five legal issue videos with funds from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute 2020 Victims of Crime Act Grant Program in response to Covid-19.

Check out these videos at https://www.indylas.org/copy-of-videos-legal-issues.

“Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, ILAS continued to offer direct and immediate assistance to individuals seeking legal assistance,” said President and CEO Gene D’Adamo, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. “We’re pleased to support ILAS as it provides invaluable help to those in our community who might not otherwise have anyone to advocate for them in difficult legal situations.” 

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust was established upon the death of Nina Mason Pulliam in 1997 to support the causes she loved in her home states of Arizona and Indiana. The Trust seeks to help people in need, protect animals and nature, and enrich community life in metropolitan Indianapolis and Phoenix. Since its inception, the Trust has distributed more than $340 million to 1,003 organizations. For more information visit www.ninapulliamtrust.org.

For more information, click here.

We have several ways for you to make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable Hoosiers in Central Indiana. Approximately $.90 of every dollar donated to Indianapolis Legal Aid Society is directly used to provide programs and services. For more information, click here.