Posted August 14, 202510:06 pm
By Ellie Evans
A senior attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland will join WOVU 95.9 FM at 10 a.m. Aug. 21 to discuss how Legal Aid can help people with government benefits on their show, “Life & The Law – Conversations About Your Rights” as part of the radio station’s signature community affairs program “Our Voices Today,” according to Tonya Sams, Development and Communications Manager at Legal Aid.
Attorneys, paralegals and staff at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland have partnered monthly with WOVU for several years to extend outreach to their potential client community. This month, senior attorney Emily Adams will be on air covering the ways Legal Aid can assist eligible people in accessing or understanding their benefits, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and Medicaid, as they could expect to deal with some changes in the near future.
“There is always going to be people asking questions about their benefits, especially with upcoming changes to Medicaid and SNAP benefits, and people need to know what to do in those cases,” Sams said. “Legal Aid can assist them and help them adjust if they are affected by these changes.”
Recent legislative proposals are likely to reshape the funding structure of Medicaid and lead to an increase in uninsured individuals, and new limits and work requirements for SNAP benefits could negatively impact low-income families relying on them.
“Maybe an individual’s SNAP or Medicaid benefits are going to be eliminated, or they are disabled or have conflicts preventing them from being able to meet the work requirements to receive those benefits,” Sams said. “People absolutely need their Medicaid, and they cannot afford to lose it, and some people providing for their families desperately need SNAP benefits to ensure their family can eat.”
Sams said Legal Aid is adamant about creating awareness of their services so people feel less in the dark, which perpetuates their partnership in this program with WOVU.
“It’s best to keep the community informed on the issues that Legal Aid covers, because they can get very complicated to navigate, and just knowing that you have an attorney on your side to help makes a difference,” she said. “By working so closely with WOVU, we can reach people in different ways and show them we have solutions and we have answers.”
Those that are eligible for legal aid typically earn low incomes, and have very little savings or assets. Sams said the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland aims to help those who cannot afford legal services wherever they can.
“A lot of times, people are unaware that they can get assistance with their civil legal issues,” Sams said. “We just want people in our community to know they’re not alone, that we care and we can offer free legal services to them if they are eligible.”
Sams said Legal Aid has done shows with WOVU, including those regarding record sealing and expungement, consumer affairs, employment issues and education. They can also help clients in dealing with landlord-tenant issues and divorce or domestic violence disputes.
Source: Cleveland Jewish News - Legal Aid’s ‘Life & The Law’ to help navigate government benefits