Preserving Mrs. Henderson's Family Home

Josephine Henderson* is an 80-year-old homeowner in the Cincinnati Bond Hill neighborhood. Mrs. Henderson has lived in her home for 35 years, raising her family and now retiring there. After falling ill, Mrs. Henderson fell two months behind on her mortgage payments and worried that her bank would foreclose on her house. Fearful of losing her home, Mrs. Henderson reached out to legal aid.

After meeting with Mrs. Henderson, Justice for All Fellow Stacy Purcell identified multiple ways that she could help Mrs. Henderson stabilize her situation so that she could remain financially stable and independent in her retirement. Ms. Purcell succeeded in getting a mortgage forbearance for Mrs. Henderson on account of her illness. Most critically, Ms. Purcell helped Mrs. Henderson obtain Save the Dream funding to preserve her home ownership. In addition, Save the Dream funding enabled Mrs. Henderson to make needed repairs to her home.

Ms. Purcell also identified that Mrs. Henderson qualified for tax credits, which reduced her annual property tax payments going forward. When Ms. Purcell realized that Mr. Henderson, who was deceased, was still listed on the home’s deed, she connected Mrs. Henderson with a pro bono attorney who removed her husband’s name from the deed and drafted a will for Mrs. Henderson.

Thanks to Save the Dream, a pro bono attorney, and legal aid's holistic representation, Mrs. Henderson didn't just avoid foreclosure, she increased her housing stability in her long-time, family home and legally solidified her future.

*Name and photo have been changed to protect client privacy.

Providing a Clean Slate for Mr. Lehman

More than ten years ago, Jared Lehman,* a 37-year-old father of three, made some mistakes that resulted in a criminal record. In the last decade, Mr. Lehman has turned his life around. Due to his past, however, Mr. Lehman had trouble finding housing and quality employment opportunities, so he reached out to legal aid for help.

Legal aid helped Mr. Lehman seal his criminal records. Thanks to legal aid, Mr. Lehman has a fresh start, with improved employment prospects and the chance for a better future for his children.

*Name and photo have been changed to protect client privacy.

In 2022, legal aid helped 2,669 ohioans seal or expunge their criminal records or reinstate driver's licenses to improve employment prospects.

Advocating for Domestic Violence Survivors with Disabilities

In northwest Ohio, legal aid partnered with Bethany House, a Toledo domestic violence shelter, to create a project that is one of the first in the country: targeted multidisciplinary services for victims of domestic violence with disabilities. Project SAFE – Safety and Accessibility For Everyone – used extensive interviews and focus groups to identify the unique challenges faced by survivors with disabilities and to build a responsive program to provide them with services.

Thanks to legal aid’s leadership and engagement with community partners, survivors of domestic violence in and around the Toledo area have new, more accommodating physical spaces in which to seek services and new, more accommodating ways to access the legal services that are critical to establishing their safety and independence. Today, not only will more survivors with disabilities have their legal needs met and achieve safety and security, but a new service model exists for others to follow.

In 2022, legal aid helped 4,984 domestic violence survivors achieve safety and security.

Improving Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)

Through a partnership with CareSource, the Foundation funded legal aid organizations to address SDOH by removing barriers to employment, increasing access to earned unemployment compensation and benefits, and building financial resources for low-income Ohioans. In addition, legal aid helped low-income Ohioans avoid eviction and foreclosure and ensured healthy housing conditions.

These financial and housing improvements put families in a position to achieve better health outcomes. Resolving legal challenges results in families enjoying stable housing and increased income, so both the family and the community benefit.

In 2022, the caresource partnership helped 2,355 low-income ohioans - particularly in appalachia - improve sdoh.

Helping Veteran Mr. Johnson Gain Employment and Keep His Home

Erick Johnson,* a veteran with physical disabilities, was employed full-time at a factory until he suffered a brain aneurysm. Mr. Johnson spent several months rehabilitating and could not return to his former job. He lived off his savings for some time but fell behind on his rent and was at risk of eviction. Mr. Johnson had hoped to return to work part-time in a more sedentary job. However, he was concerned that if he went back to work, he might no longer qualify for his veterans medical benefits on which he relied while he continued to recover. Mr. Johnson reached out to legal aid for help.

Legal aid completed a holistic benefits analysis for Mr. Johnson and determined that obtaining employment would not impact his veterans medical benefits. Relying on legal aid’s advice, Mr. Johnson searched for and found a part-time job with the call center of a local restaurant. As time passed and his health improved, Mr. Johnson’s hours increased. Today, Mr. Johnson is working 32 hours a week with the hope of moving to full-time employment. With his stable salary, Mr. Johnson was able to pay his landlord the entirety of the rent he owed. Thanks to the advice and assistance of legal aid, Mr. Johnson is no longer in danger of eviction, financially stable, and very happily working.

*Name and photo have been changed to protect client privacy.

In 2022, legal aid secured $660,036 in earned benefits for veterans.