September 30, 2020 by Clarissa Ayala
Texas Legal Aid Agencies Launch Pro Bono Portal For Disaster Help
Thanks to the generous support of the Legal Services Corporation, Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is proud to announce two important online tools through the new Texas Disaster Legal Help portal to help Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey. Developed in partnership with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT) and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), these tools will be available statewide and apply to any disaster situation experienced by Texans.
Together the agencies have developed a volunteer portal for attorneys designed to improve the mobilization of pro bono volunteers during and in the immediate aftermath of a disaster; leveraging technology to meet legal needs in emergencies more effectively. The portal will also connect pro bono volunteers to carefully tailored educational and training materials so attorneys can learn about the different laws impacting Texans during a disaster, and will have a “chat” room so volunteers can ask questions of mentors at our agencies.
Each agency will also post available cases, clinics, and training opportunities to the portal, and attorneys across the state can help as they are able. Pro bono volunteers can also look forward to the TDLH Podcast which will feature in-depth discussions about volunteer experiences providing services during a disaster. Finally, volunteers can also check here for news, blog posts, and the Pro Bono Spotlight where pro bono volunteers share their experiences – in their words.
There is also a statewide disaster survivor portal that Texans can use for help during and after a disaster. The initial launch focuses on topics that Hurricane Harvey survivors are still experiencing, such as clearing title to your home, avoiding foreclosure, and dealing with contractor fraud and liens. Subsequent updates will broaden the list to include family law issues, tenant problems after storm or other damage, and more. Materials are available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, and we’ll soon be allowing visitors to call or text the portal with their phones.
Please stay tuned for more details on how to access these two important tools helping Texans affected by disasters!
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy on behalf of low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well‐being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those who have disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at http://www.lonestarlegal.org.
Media contact: Clarissa Ayala, cayala@lonestarlegal.org
