Legal Aid @ Work! December news

Hello and happy holidays, LAWM friends!

We know this is a busy season, so we're keeping this newsletter short and sweet for you.

Below we highlight how we advocated for Caroline when she faced losing vital Social Security benefits. And we also ask for your help. As a nonprofit law office, we rely on your donations to keep us going. If you can support us, we would be very grateful. And so will our clients.

Finally, we wish you and yours a healthy, joyful holiday season! We’ll see you in 2025!

Restoring vital benefits for Caroline

For many years, Caroline made ends meet on a mix of Social Security Disability benefits and part-time work. But money was very tight. In 2022 the Social Security Administration (SSA) terminated her benefits completely and assessed a $25,000 over-payment.

Caroline tried advocating for herself but found it challenging, so she came to Legal Aid for help. We investigated and realized that the SSA’s records were missing important details about Caroline’s wages. We submitted the info, advocated with the SSA to clarify Caroline's circumstances, and ensured that her Disability benefit was reinstated while SSA was investigating.

The outcome: Caroline's benefits were reinstated, and the overpayment amount was waived fully! Or as Caroline says: “I couldn’t have had a happier ending.” This is legal aid's value: our advocates can navigate complex legal processes and achieve life-changing outcomes.

Let's make justice happen! Support Legal Aid!

We need your help, friends! If you can, please give to support our work for clients like Caroline and the thousands of other West Michigan residents we help each year.

Your support + our advocacy = Justice in West Michigan

If you are a Michigan attorney,

click here or the green image above to give through the state bar foundation's Access to Justice Campaign

Everybody else, click here or on the image above to donate directly to us. Or you can mail a donation to -

Attn: Julia Smith, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, 25 Division Ave S., Ste 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Newsletter & community outreach transition

At the end of this month, Steve Grumm, our Director of Community Engagement, will be moving on to another position. Many of you have connected with Steve at our Donuts And The Law Events, the annual Barnes Award & Pro Bono Reception, or in other ways. We wish Steve all the best in his new chapter!

From January, 2025:

For inquiries about our communications, community outreach, and fundraising, contact Julia Smith jcsmith@lawestmi.org
For inquiries about pro bono opportunities and partnerships, contact Noah Joseph njoseph@lawestmi.org

🎄 Happy Holidays! 🎄

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