ABLE and LAWO Meeting Urgent Low-Income Community Legal Needs During COVID-19 Crisis
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE) and Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (LAWO) are here to help people living in poverty for whom the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about swift and severe changes. They have lost employment by the thousands and many are facing the loss of their homes and health care and experiencing increased rates of domestic violence.
While ABLE and LAWO’s physical offices are closed during this stage of the pandemic based on Ohio Department of Health recommendations, we continue to provide legal help.
Our attorneys are advocating vigorously for those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are working from home, going to court when needed, and maintaining contact with clients and community partners. They are innovating to provide critically needed and accurate legal information and meet changing legal needs.
We are prioritizing basic needs: access to housing, food, safety, and income. We are defending against evictions and set-outs, assisting people in accessing unemployment insurance, paid leave due to COVID-19, and other benefits, and working with community partners to prevent domestic violence escalation and scams targeting vulnerable people, including seniors. We welcome media inquiries about the legal needs people living on low incomes are experiencing. Those needs are rapidly developing, and ABLE and LAWO are working hard to combat misinformation about their legal rights, responsibilities, and options.
We will keep the public updated about legal issues affecting people in poverty as they face COVID-19 via ablelaw.org and lawolaw.org and through our social media channels:
• ABLE on Facebook, LAWO on Facebook
• ABLE on LinkedIn, LAWO on LinkedIn
• ABLE on Twitter, LAWO on Twitter
• ABLE on Instagram, LAWO on Instagram
Our offices in Toledo, Dayton, Springfield, Sandusky, Defiance, Lima, and Findlay will remain closed to the public through May 1, 2020. People needing legal assistance are strongly encouraged to apply for help by phone at 1-888-534-1432 or online at legalaidline.org.
