Posted December 15, 202111:20 am
We provided this update on local events, community updates, and other newsworthy items to our partners and public officials.
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Hope your December is going well! As 2021 comes to a close, we wanted to share some helpful updates with you.
On Tuesday, December 14 at 5:00 p.m. Legal Aid will continue our monthly Facebook Live series. The program will focus on tenants’ rights and options when facing poor housing conditions. An attorney expert from Legal Aid and a community expert from the Cleveland Housing Court will share information. Tune in on Facebook on December 14, or catch the recording afterwards here, where you can find the archive of all our past Facebook Live events.
Legal Aid’s Brief Advice Clinics are scheduled for 2022! Clinics will be hosted each month at Cleveland Public Library branches. The first Brief Advice Clinic will be January 22 at the Carnegie West Branch. Visit this page to view the full 2022 schedule and to find a flyer to share.
On December 9th, Legal Aid hosted our 116th Annual Meeting. The event was livestreamed in the interest of health and safety. We were honored to have keynote remarks from United States Attorney General Merrick Garland, and grateful to share updates from our leadership. Read more about our Annual Meeting.
Providers and partners: please share your input!
Do you work with clients and community members who are navigating civil legal issues like housing, debt, education, starting a nonprofit, or others? Is there information or resources that would be helpful for you in your work? Let us know by completing this brief survey. Responses will help us structure our 2022 trainings for providers and partners.
Benefits updates and information:
Do you need assistance making decisions about pensions and retirement? Ohioans can receive free help from the Ohio Pension Rights Office at Pro Seniors. Learn more here.
Did you know Ohio became one of the first three states to receive federal approval to implement a Pandemic EBT program during the 2021-2022 school year? See our FAQ to learn more about what you should know about P-EBT benefits.
Veterans with benefits overpayments and or medical debt may have options to ask the VA to stop collection of their debt. Read our FAQ for more information.
What You Need to Know About Student Loans:
On January 30, 2022, the federal pause on student loan payments will end. Borrowers need to be prepared to act accordingly. We recently published this FAQ on our website about income-driven repayment plans and this self-help article with instructions about enrolling federal student loans into an income-driven repayment plan. We also hosted a Facebook Live about student loans with College Now Greater Cleveland and Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library recently – check out the recording to learn more about loans, scholarships, payment options, and more.
Do you work with student loan borrowers? Legal Aid attorneys are available to provide comprehensive community presentations about student loans, repayment options, and general guidance about managing student loan debt. The presentations will focus on what borrowers can be doing now to prepare for the end of the federal pause on student loan payments. Email us at outreach@lasclev.org if your organization and any community partners would like to organize a training.
Northeast Ohio Winter Utility Assistance:
The cold winter months are here. Funds are available to help Ohioans afford utilities like heat. Contact 2-1-1 or visit our website for links to winter utility assistance programs for Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain Counties.
As always, please reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
Anne K. Sweeney
Managing Attorney for Community Engagement
Direct: 216.861.5242
Main: 216.861.5500
Email: anne.sweeney@lasclev.org
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
1223 West Sixth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
www.lasclev.org