Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center
The Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center, a nonprofit established in 2000, works to empower the poor and underrepresented immigrants by providing them with legal services for free. Since its inception, Justice and Mercy has offered relief to immigrants in desperate situations through its full-time staff of experienced immigration attorneys and volunteer attorneys from the community. Justice and Mercy was founded on the principle that everyone is entitled to good legal representation, regardless of their background or economic status.
Through Justice and Mercy , the underserved Houston community receives access to quality legal help, which they may not otherwise be able to receive. Justice and Mercy is located at the Annunciation Church and is proudly a part of the Federation of Catholic Immigration Attorneys. Justice and Mercy’s mission is to ensure that the immigrant community can secure safety and have a chance to rebuild their lives. Justice and Mercy also serves as a resource to other nonprofits in the Houston area who provide care and services to immigrants in need.
Services
The Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center provides its clients with a variety of services aimed at serving those who are in need. The Center focuses on immigration, family law, housing, civil rights, domestic violence and employment issues. These are just a few of the problems that they assist clients with in hopes of improving their quality of life and giving them opportunities and a place within their community. Their programs and services not only help those that are legally in the country, but also those who are not. They believe that it is their responsibility to provide free legal representation to immigrants and refugees from persecuted backgrounds. They also offer specialized legal representation, ongoing community education and class actions to those facing economic barriers like disabilities or low incomes. It is their mission to give the disenfranchised and those without a voice legal representation, and they take this very seriously so that their clients can get the help and support that they require.
Qualifications and Applying
To be eligible for service at the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center, the client must be low-income and otherwise eligible under the legal aid criteria. If the client is holding an eviction judgment awaiting enforcement, they are presumed to need legal services. The guidelines set by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) recommend that a family of four needs to have an income of less than $38,350 in 2014, or less than $18,650 for individuals.
The average Justice and Mercy client is single, Caucasian, male, and in their early 50s. They live near downtown and rent their homes. Their income is derived from sources like employment, Social Security, and disability payments. They rent apartments, but are also subject to eviction from relatives, friends and from homeless shelters as well as from apartments.
Staff from the Justice and Mercy Center educate and train local church partners, so they can provide trained, competent support for low-income residents who meet the program’s income and other qualifying guidelines.
Community Impact
The impact of the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center on the local community extends beyond the clients they serve. Through their various services, they have been able to provide hope and healing for thousands of individuals and families across the region. According to statistics provided by the center, it has helped over 3,500 individuals find legal footing each year. This includes providing legal assistance to asylum seekers, helping women escape the cycle of domestic violence, and reuniting families separated by immigration issues. One particular case study involved a single mother who was seeking asylum from a foreign country. With the center’s help, she was granted asylum, allowing her to start anew in a place where she could freely raise her children without fear of persecution.
In addition to individual case studies, the organization also tracks the broader impact that their services have had on the local community as a whole . For example, they report that for every dollar spent on their legal aid programs, the community at large saves nearly $6 in social services, increased earnings, and reduced criminal justice expenditures. The holistic approach to legal aid offered by the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center is an effective way to not only empower individuals but to build up the community as a whole.
The center also offers a number of programs to educate the greater Nashville community about their rights and the services available to them. Workshops are offered to new asylum seekers to help them navigate the complex legal process of applying for status in the United States. Other workshops help individuals understand their rights in the workplace, and offer advice on how to seek legal remedy if those rights are violated.
Overall, the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center has had a profound impact on the local community, empowering individuals to help themselves and each other through access to the legal system.
Volunteer and Donations
As the largest legal aid provider in the state for low-income individuals, the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center relies on volunteer and donation opportunities to maximize its mission to support low-income individuals in dealing with civil legal issues. Although the Center has grown to provide aid to thousands of clients across the state, the harsh reality remains that its services cannot be provided without generous donations, contributions and volunteers stepping up to donate their time or money.
The Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center is always looking for volunteers and donations for its initiatives. Volunteer attorneys have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many through involvement with Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center. Last year, hundreds of volunteer attorneys delivered life-changing services through their pro bono work at the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center.
The Center has also established a variety of donation opportunities to make it easy for everyone to support their mission. Donations of clothing to youth and women, as well as cash contributions to support its services, all help the Center provide effective legal assistance to clients. In 2009, more than $460,000 in donations helped the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center provide assistance to the low-income community in Utah. Translated, that means more money being directly used to support their cause and keep their doors open to aid those in need. Supporting Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center is a cause that helps change lives and help those who cannot help themselves get the aid they cannot otherwise afford.
Getting Involved
The Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center serves the community by representing clients who cannot afford legal services otherwise. The center is always looking for partnerships and assistance to better serve its clients. For those not directly affected by issues that impact the center’s clients , a few avenues are available to get involved:
Tax-Deductible Donations: Monetary contribution is the easiest and fastest way of getting involved. Most charitable organizations have their own 501c3 status through which individuals can receive a tax deduction. Money may also be contributed via PayPal. Volunteer: Those who want to be involved on a more active basis may volunteer to become a pro bono attorney for the center. Pro bono attorneys offer free legal assistance to clients who qualify for the program. This type of involvement is great for attorneys who are just entering into the field or those who have been practicing for several years and want to increase their experience level. Internships: Internships may also be available for those who want to get involved with the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center. Internships are available, on both a paid and unpaid basis, for undergraduate and graduate students.