Blog Elements - oncorpsreports.com

Packing food, cleaning up parks and rivers, making blankets and hats for sick children, going door to door in Florida to assess damage still present after Hurricane Michael. The AmeriCorps community was out in force yesterday, tackling service projects across the country in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Here are just a few snapshots of the impact you’re making:

Citizens volunteer to clean park for MLK Day of Service

“Americorps volunteer, Kaden Edgesten, said yesterday’s clean up efforts were all about honoring the legacy Martin Luther King Jr. left on communities across the country.” via the East Carolinian

Martin Luther King Day of Service is in Full Effect in Williamsport

“I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to do something not only just work a regular nine to five, I wanted to make a difference in my community and my neighborhood,” said Polk.

Attendance spikes at 2019 MLK day of service

“Martin Luther King is about bringing communities together, so the idea is that when you volunteer you bring people of all walks of life together that wouldn’t normally come together,” said Bitlaol. via The Guam Daily Post

Volunteers check on Millville residents during MLK Day

“Our goal is to talk to as many citizens as possible as we go door to door with questionnaires to gather information about the condition of their dwelling and their access to resources,” said AmeriCorps Goodwill GoodWorks! Director Samuel Jackson Jr., who coordinated the event. “Having this information will assist community leaders in building a comprehensive plan that best utilizes all resources.” via Panama City News Herald

MLK Day brings volunteers to local project

“Volunteers could also make no-sew fleece blankets. Marnie Pierce, 46, cut slits in the blankets to tie the two pieces of fleece together. Her 11-year-old daughter, Abby, worked alongside her on the floor. Pierce said MLK Day was a chance to mirror the work of the social justice leader.” via Frederick News-Post

Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Chippewa Valley

“But positive movements are happening in the community today as the day of service had one of the highest turnouts they have ever had.” via WEAU 13 News

How do we preserve the idea that justice is for all, including the poorest and most vulnerable among us, who cannot afford to hire legal representation? Civil legal aid plays an important role in matters that are non-criminal in nature, including issues surrounding stable housing, immigration, employment discrimination, domestic violence, and healthcare disputes.

AmeriCorps members serve around the country in an effort to increase the capacity of these organizations to provide civil legal aid.

AmeriCorps Legal Advocates of Massachusetts

One of these AmeriCorps program that helps build capacity and access for legal services in undeserved communities is the AmeriCorps Legal Advocates (ALA) program of Massachusetts, which has been placing members at partner sites since 2005. Members provide direct client service, and many of them are college or law school graduates interested in a law career. As one member stated, they “leave the program with the commitment and burden of continuing the fight against poverty through legal advocacy”.

via ala-mass.org

ALA-MA “advocates receive training and supervision by legal professionals, and are exposed to a range of activities, including client communications, eligibility determinations, case development, legal research and writing, and hearings,” according to their website.

The Equal Justice Coalition provides several examples of civil legal aid in its #LegalAidChangesLives campaign, which is worth exploring.

Other programs filling the need for legal advocacy and placing AmeriCorps members in a legal setting include JusticeCorps, whose members serve in court-based, self-help centers in several California metropolitan areas, and the Iowa Legal Corps.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

MLK Day of Service 2019

Programs Supporting Legal Aid Organizations

MLK Day of Service 2019

Programs Supporting Legal Aid Organizations

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

MLK Day of Service 2019

Programs Supporting Legal Aid Organizations

AmeriCorps Legal Advocates of Massachusetts

Contact Us

Business Hours

Pages

Categories