Posted December 8, 20234:00 pm
We provided this update on local events, community updates, and other newsworthy items to our community partners and public officials.
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Hello from Legal Aid! Legal Aid is available in person, by phone and online to meet our clients’ needs. Apply by phone at 1-888-817-3777 or online at lasclev.org. Please reach out with any questions or requests.
Please share the following information about benefits and resources with your colleagues, clients, and communities!
Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program (HEAP). The Ohio Department of Development is running the Winter Crisis Program to assist eligible Ohioans with utility, fuel, and/or electric bill payments. The program will be available until March 31, 2024. For general information about the program and eligibility, please visit the Ohio Department of Development’s website. For application information and how to find your county’s provider, please visit this website.
Learn more about SNAP work requirements and exemptions. Check out a new tool available at SNAP Work Requirements Screening Tool | Ohio Legal Help. By answering a series of simple questions, you can help clients determine what work requirements they must meet and whether they qualify for an exemptions from the work requirements for SNAP benefits.
Need help applying for Medicare/Medicaid? Healthcare.gov has a feature allowing users to find nearby agents, brokers, and/or assisters to help with Medicare and Medicaid application registration. For those seeking coverage by January 1st, 2024, be sure to enroll by December 15th, 2024. If you would like coverage starting February 1st, 2024, be sure to enroll by January 15th, 2024. For general information and application material, please visit this page. For Marketplace coverage options, information, and enroll/renewal applications, be sure to visit this guide.
Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging offering Meals on Wheels. WRAAA is now offering home-delivered and congregate meals to persons aged 60 and older and their spouses throughout Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties. Program is ongoing. For more information on how to set up a plan or to determine what option is best for you, please call 800-626-7277.
Ashtabula Community Action Agency Senior Nutrition program. ACAA provides meals for persons aged 60 and older in Ashtabula County who are unable to cook or prepare meals at home. The program consists of either home-delivered meals or Senior Dining Sites whereindividuals are served family-style meals. For more information, please contact 440-998-3244.
Tech Tuesdays at Ashtabula Public Library. Every Tuesday from 2:00pm-4:00pm, the Ashtabula County District Library hosts trainings for those needing assistance with learning to navigate their technology. For more information and other events, please call 440-997-9341 or visit their website.
Housing Stability Services in Cuyahoga County. Serving current and incoming Cleveland residents, CHN Housing Partners Stability Services program provides eligible individuals assistance in finding housing, paying their security deposit, and/or up to 3 months of future rent payments. Those interested should complete the pre-screening application. For more information, please visit their website.
Utility Assistance in Cuyahoga County. To better serve clients with utility assistance regarding their application, program eligibility, and any other questions, CHN Housing Partners and Step Forward are now using a call center staffed by United Way of Greater Cleveland to answer client calls. They can be reached at 216-350-8008 during the hours of 8am-5pm.
Oberlin Community Services Food Pantry during the holidays! If you are a Lorain County resident who needs food, Oberlin Community Services has a food pantry open Mondays (1:30pm-4:30pm), Wednesdays (1:30pm-4:30pm), and Fridays (1:30pm-3:30pm). Drive-thru is also available on Wednesdays in the parking lot. Please note, OCS will be closed December 23rd- January 1st for the holidays. For more information, please visit the OCS website.
Check out these updates from Legal Aid!
Legal Aid in the Community: Training, Know Your Rights and Resource Fairs Legal Aid provides training to providers as well as Know Your Rights presentations to community groups on a variety of topics. Please direct requests to outreach@lasclev.org and give as much information and notice as possible. Also, if your organization is hosting a resource fair to share information with people who have low income, please consider inviting Legal Aid to attend. Send an email to outreach@lasclev.org with all the logistical details (date, time, location, audience) providing as much of an advance in notice as possible. If we are not available in person, we can always provide materials.
Our 2024 calendar of free clinics is now available! Please visit the events page on our website anytime to view the current clinic schedule. And, you can grab a printable version of our January, February, March 2024 clinics at this link: lasclev.org/2024WinterClinicFlyer
Resources, Frequently Asked Questions, and Self-Help materials. Please visit our Legal Resources page for more information and access to our full list of online and print materials.
Upcoming Brief Advice Clinics:
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- Tuesday, January 9th at Oberlin Community Services, from 2:00-4:00pm – 500 East Lorain Street, Oberlin. Please call 440.774.6579 for an appointment.
- Tuesday, January 9th at Lake County Free Clinic – 462 Chardon Street, Painesville. Please call 440.352.8686 for an appointment.
- Tuesday, January 16th at Ashtabula Public Library – 4335 Park Avenue, Ashtabula. Please call 440.992.2121 for an appointment.
- Friday, January 19th at The Justice Center, Courtroom 15-D – 1200 Ontario Street, Cleveland. Contact Raleigh O'Brien at rsobrien@cuyahogacounty.us or call 216-443-8875 for an appointment.
- Saturday, January 20th at Cleveland Public Library – Carnegie West, at 10:00am – 1900 Fulton Road, Cleveland. No appointment needed; first come, first served.
Thank you for your partnership in striving for justice throughout Northeast Ohio. As always, please reach out with any questions or ideas!