Grants and Program Overview 2007
Barnstable County — $321,085 to five organizations
Barnstable County Bar Association: $18,600
The Lawyer of the Day program places volunteers in probate court on a daily basis to help pro se litigants, and provides reduced fee attorneys for indigent or near indigent litigants who require ongoing representation.
Cape Cod Dispute Resolution Center: $29,000
The Center funds the Falmouth and the Orleans District Court Mediation programs. The programs recruit and train a diversified pool of volunteer mediators and provide scholarships for training in dispute resolution skills.
Independence House: $10,350
The Brazilian Advocate Project provides civil legal advocacy in Portuguese for immigrants and low-income persons in the Cape Cod area.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $257,872
Funds support the general operations of SCCLS in Barnstable County.
WE CAN: $5,263
Funds monthly pro bono legal clinics for low income Cape Cod women in the areas of family law including divorce, child support, and custody issues.
Berkshire County — $325,584 to seven organizations
Berkshire County Consumer Advocates: $36,000
The Consumer Redress and Education Program investigates consumer complaints and provides advice, advocacy and mediation on behalf of consumers who have sustained losses due to unfair business practices.
Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority: $25,000
Housing Services and Mediation Program provides legal counseling, educational workshops housing searches, stabilization services, informal mediation/negotiation services, and in-court mediation services.
Berkshire Mediation Services: $15,000
The Community Mediation Court Program provides mediation services which address domestic and business disputes.
Center for Human Development: $5,250
The HIV/AIDS Law Consortium and Outreach Program provide legal representation to low income households who have HIV/AIDS related legal issues.
Community Action Council, Inc. : $27,500
To assist all Berkshire County Immigrants to become US citizens. Offer a monthly walk-in clinic offering clients consultation with an immigration attorney and conduct a series of immigration workshops.
Housing Discrimination Project: $4,500
The Fair Housing Legal Coordination Program provides legal assistance to victims of discrimination by securing housing with TRO’s, doing impact litigation and training a panel of private attorneys in housing discrimination matters.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $199,834
Funds support the general operation of WMLS in Berkshire County.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $12,500
Family Law Advocacy Project funds two experienced attorneys to provide advice representation, and community legal education to individuals and their families who have experienced domestic violence or other family problems.
Bristol County — $1,530,683 to five organizations
Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.: $70,000
The Immigrant Legal Education and Advocacy Program provides legal information to low income immigrants through monthly workshops and volunteer legal aid teams.
Family Service Association of Greater Fall River: $40,000
The Guardianship Services Project provides a full range of guardianship services to indigent, incompetent elders under the age of 65 and not living in nursing homes. This program is designed to serve those not currently covered by the existing law.
New Center for Legal Advocacy, Inc.: $40,000
The pro bono project provides legal services in cooperation with the Bristol County Bar Association.
New Center for Legal Advocacy, Inc.: $40,000
Project PADRE (Private Attorney Debtor Relief Effort,) provides pro bono attorneys for clients who have extreme financial problems, e.g. potential loss of housing, income or other property, and those affecting the health of clients.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $1,121,183
Funds support the general operations of SCCLS in Bristol County.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $47,000
The Education Advocacy Project represents students in the development of individual plans and hearings before the Bureau of Special education Appeals.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $31,500
The Elder Law Project provides direct representation to elders on matters including housing, health or health insurance, Social Security, disability, pensions, abuse, consumer, guardianship, nursing home or other institutional problems.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $53,000
The Homelessness Prevention Project keeps low income families in their present homes and secures more livable homes.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $50,000
Massachusetts Legal Assistance for Self Sufficiency Project provides supplemental support to a major grant from the Corporation for National and Community Services that aims to bring 25 AmeriCorps volunteers into legal aid programs throughout the state.
The Women’s Center: $38,000
The Legal Advocacy Project provides legal assistance to victims of domestic violence through their pro bono legal project.
Dukes County — $64,546 to two organizations
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $46,076
Funds support the general operations of SCCLS in Dukes County.
Martha's Vineyard Community Services: $18,470
Women's Support Services provides court advocacy to women seeking protection through the District and Probate Court System.
Essex County — $1,507,182 to six organizations
Essex County Bar Association: $42,000
The Pro Bono Conciliation Project recruits lawyers who act as pro bono conciliators in the district and superior courts of Essex County to divert cases from the trial docket.
Essex County Bar Association: $27,000
Lawyer for the Day program places volunteers in probate court on a daily basis.
Essex Probate and Family Court Children’s Law Project: $10,000
To provide direct representation to at least 20 children involved in contested custody and visitation cases.
Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center: $32,900
Domestic Violence Family Law Program provides legal advocacy, direct representation and support to low income victims of domestic violence in ten communities. Staff attorneys and pro bono attorneys will assist clients the full range of family law matters.
Neighborhood Legal Services: $1,220,727
Funds support the general operation of NLS in Essex County.
Neighborhood Legal Services: $36,185
To provide immediate assistance to every low-income person who wants it, landlords and tenants alike. New project creates full access to eviction related legal services.
Neighborhood Legal Services: $12,370
The Consumer Debt Response System provides bankruptcy clinics to help clients with significant outstanding debt. Also provides assistance to victims of unfair debt practices.
Neighborhood Legal Services: $51,000
The Family Law Service Support Project provides a multi-faceted array of family law services utilizing program staff and pro bono volunteers in innovative ways.
Neighborhood Legal Services: $25,000
The Impact Advocacy Project provides legal services that have a major impact on large numbers of area consumers.
North Shore Community Action Programs Inc.: $28,000
The Homeless Prevention Law Project serves low income clients by providing direct legal assistance in court-based evictions, family, and housing matters.
North Shore Community Action Programs Inc.: $10,000
The Divorce and Family Court Mediation Project provides on-site mediation to the Salem
Probate and Family Court division for resolving divorce, post-divorce and paternity disputes.
North Shore Community Mediation Program: $12,000
To create a court mediation program to provide pre-screening and mediation at small claims sessions in the Salem and Peabody District Courts.
Franklin County — $282,844 to six organizations
Center for Human Development: $5,250
The HIV/AIDS Law Consortium Program provides legal representation to low income households who have HIV/AIDS related legal issues.
Franklin Community Action Corporation: $46,000
The Mediation and Training Collaborative provides custody, divorce and post divorce mediation services to low income couples, disputants filing pro se in Franklin County Probate Court and disputants represented pro bono or through a reduced fee panel. The program also provides training for lawyers volunteering their time for the Reinventing Justice Delay Reeducation project.
Franklin County Bar Association Advocates: $20,394
Advocates for Children program provides representation for children from low-income families in non-criminal matters.
Franklin County Bar Association Advocates: $16,000
Advocates for Elders program provides reduced fee attorneys to low income elders in civil matters.
Franklin County Bar Association Advocates: $24,010
Advocates for Women program provides low-income battered women with representation and advocacy.
Housing Discrimination Project, Inc.: $4,500
The Fair Housing Legal Coordination Program provides legal assistance to victims of discrimination by securing housing with TRO’s, doing impact litigation and training a panel of private attorneys in housing discrimination matters.
Quabbin Mediation: $40,000
The Central Region Community Mediation Program provides pro bono mediation services to low income people.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $114,190
Funds support the general operation of WMLS in Franklin County.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services Family Law Advocacy Project: $12,500
To provide direct family law representation for families in crisis and to serve as a resource to other legal services programs and professionals.
Hampden County: $ 1,213,529 to eight organizations
Center for Human Development: $5,250
The HIV/AIDS Law Consortium and Outreach Program provides legal representation to low income households who have HIV/AIDS related legal issues.
Dispute Resolution Services, Inc.: $25,000
The Equal Fluency Attorney Mediator Service trains volunteer attorneys and lay people in a variety of languages, in mediation skills. Volunteers then provide services to the district and juvenile courts as well as social services organizations.
Hampden County Bar Association: $50,000
The Children's Law Project provides reduced fee legal representation for children involved in family law cases in Probate Court.
Hampden County Bar Association: $25,000
The Juvenile Mediation and Advocacy Program recruits mediators in challenged guardianship cases in the Hampden County Juvenile Court or to provide representation if efforts fail.
Housing Discrimination Project, Inc.: $4,500
The Fair Housing Legal Coordination Program provides legal assistance to victims of discrimination by securing housing with TRO’s, doing impact litigation and training a panel of private attorneys in housing discrimination matters.
Housing Discrimination Project, Inc.: $25,000
The Predatory Lending Project provides a range of services to victims and potential victims of predatory lending.
Jewish Family Services of Greater Springfield: $20,000
Legal Services for Elders creates partnerships with Elder Law attorneys and nursing homes to provide pro bono legal and social services for indigent elders residing in homes.
Massachusetts Justice Project: $55,300
The Volunteer Lawyer Service provides free civil legal assistance to low income clients.
Massachusetts Justice Project: $15,000
The Holyoke Family Advocacy Project will ensure that 200 low income families have access to the basic human needs that impact their health. Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $884,979
Funds support the general operation of WMLS in Hampden County.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $45,000
The Housing Court Intervention Project provides legal assistance to tenants facing eviction in Hampden County.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $26,000
To provide on -site legal services and outreach to the low-income population of Springfield’s North End neighborhoods as part of a Network Collaborative.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services Family Law Advocacy Project: $12,500
To provide direct family law representation for families in crisis and to serve as a resource to other legal services programs and professionals.
YMCA of Western Massachusetts: $20,000
To provide SAFEPLAN court advocacy services in the Palmer District Court.
Hampshire County: $408,383 to six organizations
Center for Human Development: $5,250
The HIV/AIDS Law Consortium and Outreach Program provides legal representation to low income households who have HIV/AIDS related legal issues.
Center for Public Representation: $39,500
The Children’s Mental Health Advocacy Project works with children with serious emotional disturbance to secure needed treatment at home and in their home communities. Funds will also be used to provide individual representation to children denied home based services.
Hampshire County Bar Association: $19,000
The Domestic Relations Program for Children provides advocacy for children in contested matters involving their abuse or custody in Probate Court, restraining orders, contempt or other domestic relations matters.
Hampshire County Bar Association: $15,000
Hampshire Elder Law Program funds reduced fee cases requiring direct representation of ( 60+) elders.
Housing Discrimination Project: $4,500
The Fair Housing Legal Coordination Program provides legal assistance to victims of discrimination in securing housing and damages by obtaining TRO's, doing impact litigation and training a panel of private attorneys in housing discrimination matters.
Safe Passage: $24,251
Legal Referral Program provides stipends to attorneys for offering legal consultation, advice and representation to battered women.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $228,382
Funds support the general operation of WMLS in Hampshire County.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services Family Law Advocacy Project: $12,500
To provide direct family law representation for families in crisis and to serve as a resource to other legal services programs and professionals.
Western Massachusetts Legal Services: $60,000
The Hampshire County Housing Court Intervention Project prevents homelessness by placing an attorney in the Hampshire County sitting of the Western MA Housing Court each week on summary process day to assist tenants who appear in court without representation in eviction proceedings.
Middlesex County: $1,354,551 to 15 organizations
Advocates, Inc.: $10,000
The Advocacy, Benefits and Legal Services Program will hire a bilingual paralegal to assist clients with issues that may lead to homelessness.
Battered Women’s Resources, Inc.: $10,000
SAFEPLAN Legal Advocate Program provides services to victims of domestic violence at the Ayer District Court.
Brookline Community Mental Health Center: $27,000
The Metropolitan Mediation Services Program provides a comprehensive range of mediation, diversion and support services through collaborative programs with various Middlesex county district courts.
Casa Myrna Vazquez: $42,500
Provides legal representation, information and referral, legal counseling, accompaniment, outreach and education to shelter guests, community clients and hot-line callers.
Community Dispute Settlement Center: $55,000
The Divorce and Paternity Mediation Program provides mediation for disputants of low/moderate income involved in civil/criminal matters in Cambridge District Court and family conflicts in divorce/paternity cases served by Middlesex Probate and Family Court.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $16,921
Funds support the general operations of Community Legal Services and Counseling Center in Middlesex County.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $25,000
The Pro Bono and Staff Legal Services Project provides direct legal services, community legal education and reform advocacy in areas of family law, homelessness prevention and government benefits.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $45,000
The Domestic Violence and Child Support Project helps victims of domestic violence and their children secure long-term protection from abuse, financial security, health care, custody and safe visitation.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $12,500
The Homeless Prevention Program helps prevents homelessness of low income families and individuals.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $42,600
The Immigration Law Program helps immigrant victims of domestic violence and immigrants in need of humanitarian relief obtain legal status in the U.S.
Community Service Network, Inc.: $18,000
The HEART program reduces homelessness by preventing evictions, foreclosures, and predatory lending by providing legal representation by attorneys, counseling, educational workshops and referrals.
Employment Options, Inc.: $57,500
The Clubhouse Family Legal Support Project provides legal representation to low-income parents with mental illness who are at risk of losing custody and all contact with their children.
Framingham Court Mediation Services: $30,000
Through community volunteers this program provides court annexed mediation services in Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, and to the hearing impaired.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $779,989
Funds support the general operations of the former Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services Program and GBLS.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $13,333
The Family Work and Welfare Program provides legal assistance to low income families affected by the Massachusetts welfare reform legislation.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $30,000
The Low-Income Taxpayer Assistance Project provides legal assistance and tax help to low income taxpayers, many of whom speak little or no English.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $15,000
The Pro Bono Employment Program provides resources to ensure high quality legal representation to low income residents in employment-related cases.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $23,333
The Refugee & Immigrant Women’s Project provides legal services for the protection of immigrants and refugees.
Greater Lowell Bar Association: $20,000
The Lowell Superior Court Conciliation and Early Intervention Program resolves cases before trial.
Harry H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund: $22,500
The Cambodian Outreach Project collaborates with Merrimack Valley Legal Services and Neighborhood Legal Services to provide a bilingual/bicultural paralegal and attorney to fill a gap in the delivery of legal services to the Cambodian community.
International Institute of Lowell: $10,000
To resolve cases before trial. Over 20 volunteer trial attorneys conciliate and/or conduct early intervention for 4-6 cases each day. The project works on over 1,200 cases per year.
Just A Start: $5,875
The Mediation for Results Project prevents homelessness through resolving landlord/tenant disputes while helping to stabilize long term housing for tenants.
Merrimack Valley Legal Services: $42,500
The Domestic Violence Advocacy Project is a collaborative project between MVLS and Alternative House that represents victims of domestic violence, providing in-court 209A advocacy and post 209A support.
Merrimack Valley Legal Services: $35,000
The MVLS Cambodian Outreach Project funds a bilingual paralegal targeting individuals who may not have access to mainstream legal services.
Middlesex County Bar Association: $20,875
The pro Bono Conciliation Program reduces the backlog of pending cases in the Middlesex Probate and Family Court using pro bono conciliators.
Neighborhood Legal Services: $50,864
Funds support the general operation of NLS in Middlesex County.
On the Rise, Inc.: $10,000
Through the Legal Access Project provides homeless women facing multiple issues, such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, addiction, physical and mental illness, with appropriate legal services.
Respond: $15,000
Linguistic Outreach Project works with battered women and their children, offering counseling, referral services, 24 hour hotline, and legal advocacy.
Somerville Community Corporation: $30,000
The Somerville Mediation Court Project provides alternative dispute resolution services at the Somerville District Court for low-income and minority adolescents and adults.
South Middlesex Legal Services: $208,279
Funds support the general operations of SMLS in Middlesex County.
South Middlesex Legal Services: $38,150
The Children's Education Advocacy Project provides representation, advice or brief service to students in special education, suspension, expulsion, access to education, and bilingual issues.
South Middlesex Legal Services: $70,000
The Domestic Violence Project provides full representation, advice or brief service to low income victims of domestic violence in contested Probate and Family Court cases.
South Middlesex Legal Services: $43,250
The Eviction Defense Project provides advice, brief services and full representation to low- income tenants in their summary process cases.
South Middlesex Legal Services: $27,000
The Homeless Advocacy Project provides homeless clients with a general practitioner who can assist them in a holistic manner addressing the barriers to housing and establishing the necessary support needed for living in the community.
Tri-City Community Action Program: $57,000
The Pro Bono Legal Project helps low-income residents of Malden, Medford, and Everett to obtain legal advice and access to legal representation in civil cases.
Nantucket County — $30,717 to one organization
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $30,717
SCCLS provides civil legal services to indigent persons living in Nantucket County.
Norfolk County — $656,595 to eight organizations
Bar Association of Norfolk County: $22,510
The Evening Legal Clinics program provides pro bono legal advice to low-income persons during monthly clinics at a Norfolk County courthouse.
Brookline Community Mental Health Center: $27,000
Metropolitan Mediation Services provides a comprehensive range of mediation, diversion and support services through collaborative programs with various Suffolk and Norfolk county district courts.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $2,307
Provides direct legal services, community legal education and reform advocacy in areas of family law, homelessness prevention and government benefits, using volunteer attorneys and staff.
Dove, Inc.: $27,500
The Legal Advocacy Program provides for legal counseling and court accompaniment and also coordinates a monthly series of legal workshops for shelter residents. Operates a private bar pro bono evening legal clinic.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $317,773
GBLS receives general support funding to represent indigent persons living in Norfolk County.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $13,333
The Family Work and Welfare Program provides legal assistance to low income families affected by the Massachusetts welfare reform legislation.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $23,333
The Refugee & Immigrant Women’s Project provides legal services for the protection of immigrants and refugees.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $15,000
The Pro Bono Employment Program provides resources to ensure high quality legal representation to low income residents in employment-related cases.
Mediation Works, Inc.: $20,000
The MWI Eviction Mediation Program provides summary process mediation in the Plymouth, Hingham, and Quincy, South Boston and East Boston district courts.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $30,717
Funds provide quality legal services to persons living at or below 125% of the national poverty level in Norfolk County.
South Middlesex Legal Services: $157,122
Provides representation, advice, legal service, and general support funding for SMLS.
Plymouth County — $585, 405 to four organizations
Brockton Family and Community Resources, Inc.: $20,000
The Family Advocate Program will provide intake, assessment, intervention, assistance, and referral information to victims of domestic violence at the Brockton Court Complex.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $28,888
Funds support the general operations of GBLS in Plymouth County.
Pilgrim Advocates: $8,550
The Probate Court Project runs a Lawyer-of-the-Day program, a lawyer referral program and assists pro se litigants in Plymouth and Brockton.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $383,967
Funds support the general operation of SCCLS in Plymouth County.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $98,000
The Immigration Law Project represents low income individuals in cases related to their immigration status including application for citizenship, adjustment of immigrant status, work authorization, or representation of abused spouses when divorce or legal separation impacts their immigration status.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services: $46,000
The Special Education Project intervenes in individual cases to ensure that children receive an education appropriate for their special needs. While attorney fees do contribute to this initiative, additional grant funds are required to continue to provide services.
Suffolk County — $3,055,517 to 30 organizations
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Inc.: $20,000
The Legal Services Department provides legal assistance to people living with HIV. Funds will be used to access benefits (SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Mass Health and the HIV Drug Assistance Program).
Alternatives for Community & Environment: $10,000
The Massachusetts Environmental Justice Network serves as a clearinghouse, matching communities with pro bono lawyers, scientists, and public health experts when they are faced with environmental hazards.
Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence: $15,000
Attorneys will provide legal advice and referral on issues regarding custody, restraining orders, divorce, housing, immigration, and child support.
Bet Tzedek of Boston, Inc.: $7,500
The Pro Bono Project targets Russian immigrants who reside in the Greater Boston area, providing pro bono referrals and legal services on civil legal issues.
Boston Bar Association/ Boston Municipal Court: $10,000
The Boston Municipal Court ADR Program has an experienced panel of alternative dispute volunteers serving parties appearing before the BMC.
Boston Medical Center: $135,000
Provides funds to improve health outcomes for low income children.
Brazilian Immigrant Center: $7,500
The Worker’s Legal Rights Project helps low-income Brazilian immigrants secure workplace justice by resolving cases involving withholding of wages, payment with bad checks and the denial of overtime or of worker’s compensation.
Brookline Community Mental Health Center: $15,000
Metropolitan Mediation Services provides a comprehensive range of mediation, diversion, and support services through collaborative programs with various Suffolk and Norfolk county district courts.
Casa Myrna Vazquez: $42,500
Provides legal representation, information and referral, legal counseling, accompaniment, outreach and education to shelter guests, community clients and hot-line callers.
Catholic Charities Bureau: $36,200
The Immigration Legal Services program expands the availability of linguistically accessible legal advice and assistance for battered immigrant women. Funds will be used to maintain a multi-lingual staff and expand the capacity to offer direct legal representation by developing a training and referral network for volunteer attorneys.
Center for Legal Aid Education: $27,000
Expanding a training module for working with limited English proficient clients including a web based version of the curriculum for legal aid and pro bono attorneys.
Centro Presente: $20,000
The Legal Immigration Program provides ongoing representation to the low-income Central American population of Norfolk County, in asylum, immigration, work permit, citizenship applications, and family petition matters.
City Life/Vida Urbana: $27,000
Healthy Homes/Healthy Families services include tenant education and advocacy, housing search and coalition building with the goal to improve housing conditions and decrease displacement and overcrowding. Services are targeted towards low-income primarily Latino families, in collaboration with community health services.
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center: $57,685
Provides direct legal services, community legal education and reform advocacy in areas of family law, homelessness prevention and government benefits, using volunteer attorneys and staff.
East Boston Ecumenical Community Council: $39,400
The Community Assistance Legal Program through the community law center provides representation on a broad scope of issues.
Ecumenical Social Action Committee: $25,000
The Sustainable Homeownership Project provides housing court advocacy services, including referral and information and advice, to low and moderate-income homeowners who cannot afford or otherwise do not qualify for legal assistance. Special emphasis is placed on combating predatory lending practices.
Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston: $25,000
Increases enforcement of fair housing laws and use enforcement as a means to obtain housing for protected classes.
Finex House, Inc.: $10,000
This program provides legal intakes and advocacy to victims of domestic violence who are disabled, chronically ill, have immigration problems, substance abuse histories and wouldn’t otherwise receive legal services.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $1,937,197
General Support grant serves low-income populations of Suffolk County with civil legal problems.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $8,333
The Affordable Housing Preservation Project preserves affordable housing for low-income individuals and families targeting units that are at risk of being lost to market rates due to the expiring use crisis and representing tenants interest once preservation agreements are completed.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $13,333
The Family Work and Welfare Program provides legal assistance to low income families affected by the Massachusetts welfare reform legislation.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $30,000
The Low Income Taxpayer Assistance Project provides legal assistance and tax help to low income taxpayers so they can benefit from tax credits including the EITC.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $23,333
The Refugee & Immigrant Women’s Project provides legal services for the protection of immigrants and refugees.
Greater Boston Legal Services: $15,000
The Pro Bono Employment Program provides resources to ensure high quality legal representation to low income residents in employment-related cases.
Guidance Center, Inc.: $5,000
Funds provide supervised child access services to allow children of separated parents who are disputing access to them, to remain in contact with the non-custodial parent in a safe environment.
Harry H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund: $30,000
The Harry H. Dow Fellowship Battered Women’s Project provides funds for a one year Dow Fellow based in the Asian Outreach Program at Greater Boston Legal Services specializing in Asian battered women legal services.
Harry H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund: $30,000
Chinatown Stabilization Project will preserve tenants housing through eviction defense.
Harry H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund Community Internships: $7,500
Through the Harry H. Dow Community Internship Program student interns provide direct legal services to low-income Asian-Americans in Suffolk County focusing especially on increased representation of abused women.
International Institute of Boston: $80,000
The Asylum Representation Project identifies, counsels, assists and represents those people who are seeking political or religious asylum in the U.S., or who need legal information, immigration or emergency assistance.
International Institute of Boston: $30,000
The walk in immigration clinic provides legal assistance by staff and volunteers.
Irish Immigration Center: $60,000
The Immigration Service program provides education and individual assistance with visas, obtaining US Legal status, and citizenship. Activities include citizenship workshops, drop-in assistance, phone consultations, and immigration and citizenship clinics six times per year.
Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Health and Safety: $25,000
The Immigration Worker Clinic will provide residents with access to legal resources and support for organizing and advocacy at their workplace and in policy arenas. It will conduct outreach programs in neighborhoods with the highest number of immigrants.
Mediation Works Inc.: $10,000
The MWI Eviction Mediation Program provides summary process mediation in the Suffolk district courts.
Shelter Legal Services: $70,000
The organization improves access to legal resources for Boston's homeless veterans.
University of Massachusetts Boston Gerontology Institute: $25,000
The Pension Assistance Project is designed to assist older residents to obtain pension benefits and thereby maximize their retirement income and decrease their risk of poverty.
Victim Rights Law Center: $20,000
The Rape Survivors Law Project provides multi-lingual, low-income rape survivors, many of whom are immigrants, adolescents and women of color, with access to pro bono attorneys who are specially trained in rape-related civil law.
Women's Bar Foundation/Women's Bar Association: $74,036
The Family Law Project for Battered Women provides representation for battered women in domestic relations matters including divorce, custody, and paternity cases in Suffolk County probate courts.
Woman’s Lunch Place: $32,000
The Advocacy and Legal Assistance Program provides funds for an advocate at a day shelter to offer women assistance in housing, benefits and other legal issues. Grant also covers coordination of Women’s Bar Association’s pro bono activities.
Worcester County — $1,417,704 to nine organizations
CASA Project, Inc.: $36,198
To provide a casa volunteer to any CHINS child in the Worcester County Juvenile Court when needed.
Dismas House of Central Massachusetts: $18,500
To provide case management-style resolution of outstanding civil legal issues for recently released ex-prisoners. Services are provided through the pro bono services of Dismas Board attorneys and legal assistance agencies.
Jewish Family Service of Worcester: $12,000
To provide guardianship services for frail elders in Worcester County.
Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts: $998,246
Funds support the general operation of LACCM in Worcester County.
Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts: $50,000
The Hon. Harry Zarrow Homeless Advocacy Fellowship provides for funding of legal services attorney to work with the homeless in Worcester County along with pro bono attorneys and paralegals from the Worcester County Bar Association.
Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts: $40,000
Pro Se Project in Family Court will provide lawyers to advise clients in the “Lawyer for the Day” program and to provide representation in uncontested divorces.
Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts: $40,000
Worcester Fair Housing Partnership, in collaborations with the Housing Discrimination Project, addresses the ills of housing discrimination by providing both legal representation to those unlawfully denied housing and community education.
Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts: $35,000
The Family Advocates Project provides legal advice in medical settings to low-income families with children.
Lutheran Community Services of Southern New England: $27,500
Provides refugee and immigrant services to low-income political asylum seekers. In addition, the project offers professional and community legal education programs.
Massachusetts Justice Project: $50,000
The Volunteer Lawyer Service Program provides free civil legal assistance to low income clients chiefly through referrals to probate attorneys who provide pro bono representation.
Mediation Services of North Central Massachusetts: $42,000
The Court and Community Mediation Restoration & Expansion program plans to hire a new mediator, and train existing mediators in advanced skills to better serve the Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and Winchendon communities.
Worcester Community Action Council, Inc.: $32,000
The Community Mediation Center Program coordinates and implements a small claims mediation program in the Worcester District Court.
Worcester County Bar Association: $5,760
The Reduced Fee Program coordinates reduced fee attorneys and Worcester County low-income residents. The program operates in conjunction with the WCBA Referral Service.
YMCA/Daybreak Resources for Women & Children: $30,500
The Court Advocacy Program provides court-based 209A advocacy in the Worcester District and Probate courts.
Statewide — $5,221,230 to 23 organizations
Administrative Office of the Trial Court: $49,236
The domestic violence web project will create an interactive, accessible,
understandable and translatable online program to help lead a plaintiff through the forms to complete a restraining order form that can be filed with the court.
Center for Law and Education: $197,702
Program provides training, research and co-counseling to parents, students, and their advocates in the area of special education.
Center for Public Representation: $303,004
The program provides back up and support to other legal services representing mentally disabled persons.
Center for Public Representation: $12,500
The Children’s Mental Health Advocacy Program assists children with psychiatric disabilities who are needlessly confined, or at risk of being needlessly confined, in facilities in the Greater Boston area. Funds will be used for an attorney to represent 15 children and to identify children being denied federally-mandated mental health treatment and special education services.
Children's Law Center of Massachusetts: $197,702
For the general operation of the Children's Law Center of Massachusetts in Essex County.
Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts: $45,000
Boston Children’s Education Law Program, in collaboration with the Youth Advocacy Project of Boston, provides area children charged as delinquents and youthful offenders with access to educational advocacy services – with the overall goal being educational success and prevention of recidivism.
Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts: $50,000
Child & Adolescent Legal Services Program provides comprehensive representation of children and youth in a variety of child welfare matters.
Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts: $35,000
Children’s Pro Bono Program trains volunteer attorneys to provide case advocacy to low income children and families for special education, school expulsion and supplemental security income matters.
Disability Law Center: $356,476
Provides legal representation to low-income children and adults with mental and physical disabilities as well as technical assistance, support and back up to local legal services programs.
Disability Law Center: $20,000
Housing Retention Project will assist individuals with disabilities in maintaining their current housing and advocating on their behalf for reasonable accommodations.
Disability Law Center: $15,000
Provides outreach trainings to parents of special needs children to give them information to effectively advocate for them.
Flaschner Judicial Institute: $175,000
Provides educational programs designed specifically for the Massachusetts Judiciary. This year, Flaschner will launch a Science and Technology Curriculum series.
GLAD: $30,000
The AIDS LAW Project works towards enforcing the civil rights of individuals with HIV through direct representation of clients who have experienced discrimination or breaches of privacy regarding HIV status and in impact cases designed to set new precedents or to educate the public.
Health Law Advocates, Inc.: $27,500
The Children’s Mental Health Access project provides pro bono legal services to individual clients denied access to health care.
Homeowner Options for MA Elders: $25,000
To provide counseling to elders in serious tax arrears, tax title, foreclosures and other debt burdens.
JRI Health Law Institute: $47,000
To provide comprehensive legal services to indigent people living with HIV (PLHIV) at the AIDS Services Organizations near their residents. Funds will be used to hire a staff attorney who will perform out placement intake two times per month at ASO’s in Plymouth, Fall River, and Danvers. The attorney will represent cases through to conclusion.
Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing and Homelessness: $75,000
The Community Referral Program matches pro bono legal counsel with non-profits developing affordable housing. The Massachusetts Legal Clinic for the Homeless provides direct legal services to homeless shelter residents.
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: $70,000
Provides pro bono legal representation for victims of race and national origin discrimination and handles major law reform.
Legal Advocacy and Resource Center: $245,000
LARC through its expanded free Legal Hotline helps to fill the gaps in the delivery of legal services by providing callers with high quality legal information, referrals, educational mailings, and centralized legal services intake.
Massachusetts Advocates for Children: $140,808
Funds support general operations.
Massachusetts Advocates for Children: $53,500
The Children's Law Support Project uses the private bar to represent low-income children expelled from school.
Massachusetts Advocates for Children: $15,000
MCAS Education and Justice Project supports a pilot project that addresses the barriers faced by children with disabilities who must take the MCAS. Funds will research the current system and train volunteer attorneys to represent individual students with disabilities.
Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services: $231,708
Funds support the general operation of the program and a project to improve medical care for HIV-positive Massachusetts prisoners.
Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services: $45,000
The Hepatitis C/HIV Interdiction Project aims to ensure that prisons and jails identify prisoners with Hepatitis C, educate them about the illness and its transmission, and to advocate for appropriate treatment. Funds will also be used to train corrections personnel to help prisoners with this illness.
Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services: $80,000
The Prison Brutality Project represents inmates who have been assaulted by corrections officers. Once a case has been deemed meritorious, a staff or pro bono attorney will be appointed to take the case. The project aims to deter guard brutality by demonstrating that prisoners’ rights are protected by law.
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition: $13,000
The program will provide comprehensive immigration law trainings to staff from programs providing direct services to immigrants.
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute: $2,168,856
Funds support the general operation of the MLRI throughout the state. MLRI provides technical assistance, support and back-up to local legal services programs.
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute: $45,000
The Immigrant Protection Project provides high-impact legal advocacy to low-income immigrants statewide and secures protected immigration status pursuant to immigration laws such as the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute: $33,000
The Public Housing Preservation Project provides representation to low income residents to ensure fair access to Section 8 housing certificates and to prevent owners from greatly reducing low income housing.
National Consumer Law Center: $178,238
NCLC provides technical assistance, support and back-up to local legal services programs in the area of consumer law and bankruptcy.
National Consumer Law Center: $30,000
The Debt Collection Justice Project targets low income and elderly consumers and priority will be given to cases where there is fraud and or the problem appears systemic.
National Lawyers Guild: $35,000 Street Law
Project provides low income people information about their legal rights in the areas of work, housing and the criminal justice system through a series of workshops.
Political Asylum Immigration Representation: $20,000
The Detention Center Initiative advises and represents asylum seekers, torture survivors, and other immigrants in immigrant detentions.
Political Asylum Immigration Representation: $110,000
Provides pro bono or low fee representation and support for detained asylum seekers and for detainees who are long-term lawful residents eligible for other forms of relief from deportation. The program combines the resources made available from the private bar, law schools, and nonprofit agencies to assist in providing the necessary legal services.
Tufts University School of Medicine: $15,000
The Medical Legal Partnership for Children provides legal assistance to patient families at the outpatient clinic for example utilities restoration, violence in the home, unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions and unmet education needs.
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Mass., Inc.: $31,000
Provides educational programs for the artistic community and pro bono legal services on arts-related legal matters.