- Income maintenance . In our Public Benefits Calls Project , volunteers can contact our clients to ensure that they understand the resources available to them , like the stimulus payment and other new or enhanced public benefits , and are able to access those resources . With the Unemployment Benefits Project , volunteers can represent clients in telephone appeal hearings before an administrative hearing office with the Georgia Department of Labor after the client is denied benefits . These projects are open to attorneys and non-attorneys . - Housing stability . With our Tenant Defense Project , volunteers can counsel clients , negotiate on their behalf , represent them at mediation , and / or represent them at hearings in our five counties . - Planning for illness . Volunteers for the Estate Planning Project draft wills , advance directives , and financial powers of attorney for clients who need them . Legal Aid offers resources to complete remote execution or guide the clients on executing with their neighbors .
Clients continue to have needs across all aspects of civil law , including family law , education , and consumer law . Volunteers can connect with these projects and others on our website at legalaidprobono . org or by emailing the Pro Bono Director , Cari Hipp , at chipp @ atlantalegalaid . org .
3 ) Please tell us about a special initiative or success ( or both ) that you would like to share . At Atlanta Legal Aid , we are proudest about our ability to adapt to the requirements of the COVID-19 epidemic Within days of shuttering our five offices across metro Atlanta on March 26th , our IT and management rushed to move our operations to a virtual model . Phones were ringing with calls from clients in receptionists ’ homes within hours , equipment and hotspots were provided to any staff in need , hearings , depositions , meetings , and intake went virtual , and we created an
online application process . As months went on , we continued to adapt to the lockdown conditions . Staff , especially those with children , faced a great deal of stress as the months wore on . Client needs increased and took an emotional toll . In response we provided staff members extra time off with pay , additional trainings to help deal with virtual work and new resources to help our staff of 150 lawyers , paralegals , and administrative support continue to work for our clients and our program . As a result , even in this uncertain time , with our offices may be closed to the public but we continue to be open to the problems of our clients .
During the pandemic , we have also used media , social media and other outlets to solve problems for clients and educate the public . Our robust traditional media program has propelled us and our clients into over 65 TV news stories , newspapers , magazines and wire service articles , from local stalwarts to CBS Evenings News with Nora O ’ Donnell , The New York Times , TIME magazine , The Atlantic , the Associated Press and Reuters . Media has not just spread our stories and messages but has been utilized to solve problems for clients .
Our social media has been just as robust . We moved community education online to great success . We have produced over a dozen videos explainers for the public
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to better understand the ever-changing landscape of eviction , unemployment and beyond . These videos have actually received a national audience as many in the media have included links in stories on COVID resources . We have also had an amazing success with presenting Facebook Live community education sessions rather than traditional in person events . Sessions average 800 viewers , both in the live session and with later views . This method allows us to reach a broad audience , many of whom may not qualify for our services yet cannot afford a lawyer .
Steve Gottlieb , Atlanta Legal Aid ’ s longtime Executive Director noted ; “ Our response to COVID-19 is the same it has always been in facing crises which affect our program and our clients — through dedication and commitment and a lot of creativity , we continue to provide high quality legal services to help clients with needs that affect their everyday lives , protecting their homes , getting them access to income , food and medical care and protecting them against violence .”
STEVE GOTTLIEB Atlanta Legal Aid Society , Inc . sgottlieb @ atlantalegalaid . org
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