…of her rope and desperate to keep herself and her baby safe, Ms.O’Brien came to the Safe Families Office. First-time volunteer Ben Ralston of Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial took the case and helped her obtain a twelve-month protective order. Thanks to Ben’s help, Ms.O’Brien’s husband is unable to further harass her, no matter where she lives. Now she can finally feel safe in her new home….
…chanics of taking a case, attorneys can appear in court to help a survivor obtain a 12-month protective order to shield a family from violence. Law Students: Law students can volunteer or intern at the Safe Families Office. With a semester commitment of at least 10 hours per week, all students will conduct clients interviews, draft pleadings and orders, and safety plan with client in our walk-in office in the Fulton County Courthouse. Under the su…
…nteer resources on improving living conditions and housing stability in low-income neighborhoods – all to improve resident health, reduce school enrollment turnover, and enhance student attendance and performance. All of our program staff is embedded within neighborhoods to stop housing instability early and work as a first responder when problems do arise. By managing the immediate housing needs of students, we are able to stabilize a family. And…
…media outreach, and various other forms of communication with our fiercely compassionate supporters. Ashleigh is ever-eager to share the remarkable stories of our clients, and the impact of AVLF’s staff and volunteers on our community. Before joining AVLF, Ashleigh was a Fulbright Scholar in Turkey. She holds a BA in English and Linguistics from the University of Georgia. She is also a performance artist, and can occasionally be seen performing mo…
…ative. Read more Eviction Defense The Eviction Defense Program provides low-income and unrepresented tenants facing eviction with attorneys to represent them in court in their critical time of need. Read more Dollars for Judgments The Dollars for Judgments Program places creditors’ rights attorneys to work on behalf of low-income clients who have obtained a judgment as a result of an injustice done to them. Read more Guardian ad Litem Divorcing pa…
…fice is located in the Fulton County Courthouse. It’s Georgia’s only lawyer-staffed, courthouse-based resource for survivors of intimate partner abuse seeking to obtain temporary protective orders. If you’re interested in volunteering with the Safe Families Office, you can email Program Coordinator Lilli Crowe. Check out our video on the work of the Safe Families Office. Ashleigh Starnes Communications Manager As AVLF’s Communications Manager, Ash…
…but I had to cancel at the last minute because my heat broke again. When my 7-year-old granddaughter visited, I pretended that dressing in layers was a game so she would not get scared. I stayed up all night, flipping the circuit breaker back on every half an hour when it would flip off, so my granddaughter wouldn’t freeze. Cold and stress make my health problems worse, and I was in a lot of pain. I still believed that management at the complex wa…
…air conditioner, and more. When Melissa received her housing voucher, she immediately tried to use it at her new apartment complex. They refused to accept it. The manager gave her a month to move out. Melissa was afraid of being evicted, so she signed an agreement giving her one month to packed up and leave. The landlord was impatient and filed for an eviction anyway. Atlanta Legal Aid Society helped Sharon stay in her apartment for the month and…
…ew electronic filing system, which can be confusing to tenants who are not computer-savvy. There are many reasons why tenants with good cases need help filing answers — whether it’s literacy challenges, language barriers, or simply being intimidated by the judicial process. Due process does not exist if the procedures are too confusing for unrepresented tenants. Thanks to the Answer Clinic, tenants who would otherwise be shut out and silenced have…
…lanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta announced the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to “direct funding to nonprofits on the front lines helping our region weather this unprecedented health and economic crisis.” AVLF received $150,000 to assist with emergency operations during COVID-19. All AVLF’s programs have had to make adjustments, but we are hard at work assessing more immediate community needs while continuing to provide…
…th his child, but she allowed him to see the child after giving birth. She immediately regretted this decision when he tried to harm the infant. No matter what Ms. Carson tried, her ex wouldn’t stop calling her and showing up unexpectedly at her home. Volunteer attorney Andrew Thompson represented Ms. Carson in court. With Andrew’s help, she received a six-month protective order. Because of his hard work, she feels like she’s gained safety for her…
…, Ms. West found her way to attorney Roxy Richardson. One letter from Roxy immediately got the landlord’s attention – and although the landlord disputed Ms. West’s right to a full refund, she received $750 back. Ms. West received the money with no time to spare, just in time to pay a security deposit on a much better home for her and her two children. Roxy, thank you for being your client’s champion. Sometimes a lawyer can make the difference betw…
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