News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
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 […]
In observance of New Year’s, Lone Star Legal Aid will be closed. All offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Texans can still apply for free legal help online at www.lonestarlegal.org.
Most of Texas is expected to experience a winter freeze from Thursday to Sunday of this week. In addition to taking the necessary precautions for your home, it is important to stay informed on the warming centers nearest to you in case of emergency. You can track the Texas power grid’s conditions in real time to check for power outages. […]
In observance of Christmas, Lone Star Legal Aid will be closed. All offices will reopen on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. Texans can still apply for free legal help online at www.lonestarlegal.org.
The Houston Housing Authority board has voted to reopen the waiting list for 10 public housing developments on January 15, 2023. The waiting list closed in August 2018 due to the high volume of applications. Although there is still a backlog of applicants on the waiting list, some developments have shorter waiting lists than others. The waiting lists will open […]
Sandy is a 74 year-old widow in East Texas who struggled to maintain her household after her husband passed away. Although she was with her common law husband for 29 years, and they had children together, they never formally married. “I was never married before him, and I have never even dated anyone else,” said Sandy. Sandy applied for legal […]
A common question encountered in the world of law is the difference between legal aid and pro bono. The latter is considered a more familiar term among the general public and is often conflated with nonprofit legal aid work. However, there are important differences between these two practices. The term “pro bono” is a Latin term meaning “for the public […]
