News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
The Federal Trade Commission’s Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week was between January 30 and February 5 this year. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal or financial information — like your Social Security or financial account number — to commit fraud. Seniors are vulnerable to identity theft scams because they are often more trusting, have more savings and home […]
Houston, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid will join Children at Risk for an educational bus tour generously co-sponsored by Houston Young Lawyers Association and Vinson & Elkins LLP on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 2900 Weslayan St. Ste 400, Houston, TX 77027. This tour and discussion aim to help expose the realities of domestic minor sex trafficking, labor trafficking, […]
Mr. Jan was a doctor in his native country, but like many medical professionals who have immigrated to the U.S., he is unable to practice medicine in America due to licensing requirements, despite the fact that he is now a U.S. Citizen. As a result, he works in a hospital as a technician and shares a humble apartment with his […]
Since shelters were opened for survivors of the Pasadena tornado, the American Red Cross and its partners have served 407 households by providing: -261 overnight stays for more than 100 residents in 3 emergency shelters; -3016 meals and snacks; and -265 relief items including comfort kits and other supplies. The American Red Cross was at the Beamer Place apartment office, […]
Houston, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid’s Eviction Right to Counsel Initiative will spread the love on Valentine’s Day at Harris County Justice of the Peace – Precinct 5, Place 1. Currently, there are over 500 eviction cases set for trial in Harris County JP 5-1. Attorneys in our Eviction Right to Counsel Initiative will be on site all day […]
Mariah married her military husband Sean and raised two children together, and one from Sean’s previous relationship beginning when the child was two years-old. This child is now a teenager, and recently, he came out as transgender and said he wanted to go by Calvin. Mariah was working hard to provide Calvin with all the support he needed while transitioning. […]
Since the early days of the pandemic, childcare has been a prominent issue for both families and the industry. In Texas, 25% of all childcare centers closed in 2020, and millions of families have adjusted to this change through efforts such as homeschooling, private care, and online education. This Tuesday, the Harris County Commissioners Court has voted on a $26.2 […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2023 Contact: Lowell Brown | Communications Director, State Bar of Texas | (512) 427-1713 | LBrown@texasbar.com Contact: Clarissa Ayala | Communications Director, Lone Star Legal Aid | (832) 627-8404 | Cayala@lonestarlegal.org Free legal resources are available to low-income individuals affected by the January 24, 2023, tornado and torrential rain in the Southeast Houston, Pasadena, and Deer Park areas. Disaster […]
Pasadena, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid Staff was present to assist survivors of the January 24th Tornado Event at the Disaster Assistance Recovery Center located at the Pasadena Convention Center between Friday, January 27 and Sunday, January 29. The event was hosted by the City of Pasadena, and the City of Deer Park, to help residents gather important recovery […]
Pasadena, Texas – Lone Star Legal Aid is available to low-income individuals who suffered wind damage and other conditions caused by the powerful cold front that caused tornadoes and torrential rain in the Southeast Houston, Pasadena, and Deer Park areas on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. An EF3 tornado tore through Southeast Houston and the surrounding area earlier this week, causing […]
The Innovations in Technology Conference grew out of LSC’s Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) Program, which seeks to expand access to justice by promoting technological innovations in legal services delivery and pro se assistance. The conference brings together technologists, legal aid advocates, court personnel, law school professors, pro bono coordinators, and other professionals to showcase technology projects and tools being implemented across […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2023 Contact: Courtney Naquin, Sierra Club, (512) 661-1285, courtney.naquin@sierraclub.org, Devorah Ancel, Sierra Club, (415) 845-7847, devorah.ancel@sierraclub.org Lauren Parker, Center for Biological Diversity, (202) 868-1008, lparker@biologicaldiversity.org Joanie Steinhaus, Turtle Island Restoration Network, (409) 795-8426, joanie@tirn.net Dustin Renaud, Earthjustice, (228) 209-2194, drenaud@earthjustice.org Clarissa Ayala, Lone Star Legal Aid, (832)627-8404, cayala@lonestarlegal.org Massive Gulf Coast Deepwater Oil Export Terminal […]
In April 2020, all Texas SNAP households, eligible for any amount of SNAP, began receiving the maximum SNAP allotment for their household size, regardless of income or deductions. They have all received 2 SNAP deposits per month on their Lone Star card – their regular SNAP allotment and their extra COVID SNAP benefits. February 2023 is the last month that […]
At 12 years old, Mara was diagnosed with a rare disease, Takayasu Arteritis, which left her unable to walk. She was told she would be disabled for the rest of her life. At 20 years-old, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determined her diagnosed conditions were not severe enough to warrant a finding of disability, and Mara was denied Social Security […]
Houston, Texas – Lone Star Legal Aid is one of thirty-four organizations to receive a 2022 Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) Fall Grant. We are proud to accept this contribution towards our work to provide free civil legal services to Veterans, service members, and their families. The BWF grants support programs that: Increase accessibility to high-quality, evidence-based mental healthcare to […]
Galveston, TX – January 11, 2023 – Our Galveston office moved from Market Street to 123 25th Street, Suite 4020, Galveston, TX 77550 on January 1, 2023. Our new office is located in Shearn Moody Plaza, formerly the Old Santa Fe Union Station, home of the Galveston Railroad Museum, and an anchor point at the close of the Historic Downtown […]
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lone Star Legal Aid will be closed. All offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 17th, 2023. Texans can still apply for free legal help online via our website: www.lonestarlegal.org/get-help
Disasters can take lives, homes, cars, and personal belongings. Safety comes first when preparing for a disaster. Through the federal resource ready.gov, we have compiled an exhaustive list of disaster preparedness steps you can take today to help ease any potential burdens in the year ahead. Make a Resolution Make an emergency plan: choose a safe place to meet, learn […]
January 2023 is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Since 2010, the White House has dedicated this month to raising awareness on the different forms of human trafficking, also known as modern slavery, and educating people about this crime and how to spot it. This January also marks the nineteenth National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM), an annual call to […]
Houston, TX – December is the National Season of Giving, and Williams once again brought Christmas joy to Lone Star Legal Aid clients and their families. Williams sponsored a young, single mother of three sons. The family recently escaped an abusive situation and were starting over. Williams provided them new furnishings and gifts to go under their newly donated Christmas […]