News
March 2nd, 2011
On March 22, 2011, Legal Aid paralegal Karen Tyler will receive a Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) 2011 Excellence Award.
Karen has worked in legal services for 35 years, originally for Delaware County Legal Assistance Association, and since 2001 as elder law paralegal, office manager and pro bono coordinator for Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania's Delaware County Division. She initiated and now manages a highly successful senior advocate program.
Karen lives and works in Delaware County, and on her own time she is known to post flyers, distribute brochures, and strike up conversations with older adults to be sure they know about Legal Aid. She is well-respected and well-known in the City of Chester. LASP proudly joins PLAN in recognizing the excellence of this dedicated advocate.
February 26th, 2011
In an article published in the West Chester Daily Local News on
February 26, Legal Aid Attorney Deborah Steeves offered possible
strategies to assure that adults who will lose adultBasic health
coverage will continue to receive health care services. You can read
the full text of the article on the Daily Local News website.
December 27th, 2010
In preparation for its 2011-2012 State Budget request, PLAN (the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network) today released a White Paper providing an overview of Pennsylvania’s Civil Legal Service programs, history and funding. It highlighted the following regarding the 8 programs providing core legal services (a group which includes Legal Aid of Southeastern PA-LASP) and six specialized programs providing statewide backup and direct client services in particular areas of the law.
..The need for legal aid has skyrocketed. Because of the recession, many more Pennsylvanians are eligible for representation and many more face pressing problems such as the loss of their home…or family medical expenses.
...A recent national study (Documenting the Justice Gap, by the Legal Services Corporation) revealed that one of every two people who come to a legal aid office in Pennsylvania, eligible for legal aid and in need of representation, had to be turned away due to lack of resources.
…FY 2010-2011 funding is millions below the inflation adjusted purchasing power of the 1975-6 state appropriation and the actual funding of several years ago….22 years ago PLAN’s funding supported a total of 358 legal aid lawyers statewide. Today, despite the increased need, PLAN can support only 259 lawyers.
To continue reading this post, click on post headline, above.
June 28th, 2010
At a luncheon on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, Karen Tyler from Legal Aid's Delaware County Division was given the Crozer-Keystone Senior Service Excellence Award. This award was created in 2003 to recognize an individual for his or her contributions to the health and welfare of the senior population and embodies the philosopy of Crozer-Keystone Health System Senior Health Services..."to meet the needs of the senior community and to enhance their quality of life".
In giving the award, the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA), noted Karen's work representing and negotiating on behalf of senior citizens in civil matters including utility shut-offs, delinquent property taxes, SS/SSI overpayments, landlord/tenant matters, debt collection, contracts and any and all matters related to senior problems. In addition, she recruits and trains senior advocates who volunteer at senior centers and senior housing developments and she recruits private attorneys for pro bono work in conjunction with the Delaware County Bar Association.
June 28th, 2010
On June 23, long-time Legal Aid supporter and board member Elizabeth C. Price, died after a long illness. One of the original members of the Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania Board, she served as Executive Director of the Delaware County Bar Association and was credited with bringing respect and prominence to the role of bar executive. She was a strong advocate for Legal Services for the poor and for the past two years was the President of the LASP Board of Directors during a particularly challenging period in which the organization experienced significant funding shifts and acquired programs and staff from another legal aid program which ended operations. In 2009, nominated by LASP, she received an Excellence Award from Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network for her strong support of Legal Services. LASP staff and volunteers will miss her service and caring to our organization.
For more about Elizabeth Price's 36 year professional career with the Delaware County Bar Association, click on the headline above.
April 14th, 2010
Bucks County Division of Legal Aid’s elder law attorney Allison McConnell, Esq., recently assisted in obtaining the dismissal of a $47,000 overpayment fee from the Railroad Retirement Board for her elderly client. This dismissal came after numerous persistent phone calls, letters and a final telephone hearing, but was eventually won, allowing McConnell’s client to keep what savings she had, as well as her much needed monthly income, which she was using to maintain her home and pay for medical expenses.
To read the rest of this article click on headline above.
March 24th, 2010
LASP recently received a $15,000 grant from the Green Tree Community Health Foundation, as well as a $30,000 grant from the Philadelphia Foundation in support of its work with low-income individuals and families. LASP was one of 22 organizations that were granted funding from Philadelphia Foundation’s Basic Human Need’s Fund, a campaign which began in 2008 to help address the increasing economic challenges surrounding the basic needs of food, housing, transportation, heat and light. The $15,000 grant from Green Tree Community Health Foundation went specifically to Legal Aid’s ongoing work with vulnerable elderly individuals in Montgomery County.
To read the rest of this article click on headline above.
March 1st, 2010
As Spring nears, LASP is looking for sponsors, volunteers and runners for the 6th Annual 5k Run/Walk on June 26, 2010, to benefit Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Chester County Division. The race will be held in West Chester, and over 150 runners are expected to participate. There are six race sponsorship levels available, ranging from $100-$3,500, each with their own promotional and race entry benefits. Would you or your business consider being a local sponsor? Visit www.trialrun5k.com for more information. Also, consider running or walking for the cause. Proceeds from the event will support Legal Aid’s free legal services for low-income and vulnerable families in Chester County.
To read the rest of this article click on headline above.
February 15th, 2010
A recent report in the Philadelphia Inquirer turned readers’ eyes to an unfamiliar place in regards to poverty rates: the suburbs. In his report, Alfred Lubrano summarized a Brookings Institution report highlighting a nationwide poverty increase of 25% between 2000 and 2008 in the suburbs, nearly five times the rate of increase in urban poverty. Locally, in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties (Legal Aid’s target counties) the number of individuals receiving food stamps grew from 23% to 33%. While suburban poverty is often overlooked, this article reminds us of its presence and amplified rates during times of national economic decline.
To read the rest of this article click on headline above.
January 20th, 2010
Two recent reports suggest that Protection from Abuse (PFA) programs like those offered by Legal Aid continue to be critical as the economy worsens. The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation’s 2009 Truth About Abuse report found that 75% of 600 domestic violence shelters surveyed nationally in 2009 saw a rise in the number of women seeking services. Additionally, 73% of the respondents attributed the rise in abuse to “financial issues.” A December 30, 2009 New York Times article similarly reported an increase in domestic violence-related homicides in a number of states and cities.
To read the rest of this article click on headline above.
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