Like all of you, our work at Youth Represent has been disrupted by the global pandemic, quarantine, and shutdowns. Not only did our New York City offices close abruptly last year, but so did the many different support systems that our clients rely on.
Our clients were suddenly faced with impossible scenarios: risk their health and that of their families by going to work in unsafe conditions, or lose their job? Pay their rent or buy groceries as they waited for public benefits to kick in? Take the subway at the height of the pandemic or miss a prenatal appointment?
Early in the crisis, our team quickly connected with our clients. We made sure that those with upcoming court appearances knew what was going on with their cases, and we kept our fingers to the pulse of their quickly changing legal issues. Maintaining communication with our clients was critical, especially for those who do not have ready or consistent access to technology.
Over the past 12 months, we have deepened and diversified our legal expertise, especially in the areas of housing, unemployment and other benefits, and added a new workplace-related workshop to our Know Your Rights presentations. Further, we’ve created an Emergency Client Fund that allows us to quickly get financial support directly to our clients in greatest need. Finally, to connect with and provide greater access to our services during Covid, we developed a hotline where any young person could immediately and directly connect with a member of our legal team.
We see light at the end of the tunnel. Because of the dedication of our staff and Board, our incredible clients, and our committed supporters, we know that Youth Represent will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever.