no resolution is possible , then representation may include representing the client at a mediation and courtroom hearing in Fulton County Magistrate Court . AVLF provides extensive support and resources to ensure the volunteer feels prepared and comfortable .
Finally , attorneys looking for a more time-limited volunteer opportunity are encouraged to volunteer at the Housing Court Assistance Center , a Fulton County courthouse-based walk-in center where tenants facing eviction receive help filling out their Answer paperwork . Each shift is three hours long ( Monday , Tuesday , and Wednesday mornings from 9:00 a . m . – 12:00 p . m .).
These two populations , low-income tenants and survivors of intimate partner abuse , are facing serious challenges during this crisis . We are ready to help them . We are doing everything we can to make it easier for them to get help . Through volunteering with AVLF , you too can play a critical role in helping them and be part of our community ’ s larger response to COVID-19 . For any of these volunteer opportunities , please go to https :// avlf . org / volunteer /. As we have for over 40 years , AVLF will stand with Atlanta . As we do , thank you for continuing to stand with us .
MICHAEL LUCAS Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation mlucas @ avlf . org
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Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network
1 ) Are there any special challenges that you are currently facing that you want our members to know about ? The current pandemic has highlighted what we already knew to be true , that vulnerable immigrants are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to accessing civil legal services and critical support for their social service needs . GAIN ’ s clients are particularly hardhit by the COVID-19 crisis , as many of them have suffered higher rates of job loss , housing and food insecurity , and more . We strive daily to meet our clients where they are , and are therefore in need of general operating support to assess the comprehensive needs of our clients and to assist with food , transportation , and case-related costs such as interpretation and translation .
2 ) In addition to contributing money , what can our members do to assist or support you in your work ?
To respond to the growing needs of our client communities , while caring for the safety and wellbeing of those who help us carry out this great work , we have pivoted to a fully virtual model of representation . We welcome volunteers to learn more about efforts by participating in one of our legal trainings , providing essential language support , and / or accepting a pro bono case through our Asylum or Victims of Violence Program .
3 ) Please tell us about a special initiative or success ( or both ) that you would like to share .
At GAIN , we take seriously our responsibility to support the comprehensive needs of our clients , which includes addressing their mental health needs and making referrals to trusted partners in the community . In the days ahead , we plan to redefine how GAIN - as a legal service provider - can play a more central role in helping our clients heal from trauma and abuse .
ALPA AMIN Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network aamin @ georgiaasylum . org
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Atlanta Legal Aid
1 ) Are there any special challenges that you are currently facing that you want our members to know about ? We currently are experiencing sharp increases in issues related to unemployment , housing security , and domestic violence . In our unemployment practice alone , we have seen a 660 % increase in people seeking legal assistance ( and have obtained $ 2.3 million in paid benefits for these clients so far this year .) We have also challenged the procedures of the Georgia Department of Labor , whose delays and new , seemingly arbitrary , rules have denied applicants prompt access to the benefits they need .
Despite increases in domestic violence and family law issues resources to address these issues are dwindling . Georgia has cut funding for both domestic violence victims and relative care givers ( who keep families stable and children out of foster care ). In Clayton County , without additional funding , our attorneys have had to take over initial temporary protective order ( TPO ) work , usually done by DV shelters , in addition to representing clients in TPO hearings
In housing work , while moratoriums have provided some respite from eviction for some clients , we have been protecting the 30,000 people in metropolitan Atlanta who live in extended stay hotels . Some of them have been residents of these hotels for years , but have not been afforded the same rights as regular tenants and without our protection are under threat of immediate eviction and homelessness . We are also preparing for a landslide of evictions of traditional tenants after the CDC moratorium expires in January ; in response we are placing housing navigators in each of our five counties to help keep our clients housed and stable .
2 ) In addition to contributing money , what can our members do to assist or support you in your work ? During COVID-19 , Atlanta Legal Aid is focusing on key goals to help our clients :
- Safety . During the pandemic , our clients still face danger within their own homes . Through the Temporary Protective Order Project , volunteer attorneys can represent clients in Cobb , Gwinnett , DeKalb , and Clayton County in 12-month hearings for protective orders .
34 October / November 2020