Youth Represent’s flagship community-lawyering model typically brings our attorneys and paralegals to the neighborhoods where our clients live. Due to stay-at-home and social distancing guidelines, we need to use new strategies and tools to best serve our clients during this uncertain time.
This past week, our staff have been calling, texting, and e-mailing clients to understand their needs right now. Our clients’ voices were clear- they need three new areas of support:
Equitable Access to Benefits - We are expanding our work to support clients navigating the complex world of benefits, including unemployment benefits, public assistance, and ensuring access to emergency food.
Workers’ Rights - We are deepening our existing employment law practice to combat workers’ rights abuses, including counseling clients on rights to a safe workplace under OSHA and building new Know Your Rights webinars.
Emergency Fund - We are reallocating some limited internal funding to allow us to quickly respond with emergency financial support directly to our clients in greatest need.
As this crisis unfolds, we will evaluate these new measures and will adapt our services to meet our clients’ needs. Our response will continue to change, but what won’t change is our commitment to delivering for system-involved New Yorkers.
Thank you so much for your dedication to Youth Represent during this time. Young people who have been affected by the criminal legal system are especially vulnerable right now, and your support continues to make a positive difference in their lives.
More to come,
Michael Pope, Esq.
Executive Director
mpope@youthrepresent.org
646.759.8082 (direct)