The best way to understand how Legal Aid impacts the lives of so many children and adults is to hear actual client stories or read letters Legal Aid receives from grateful clients. These stories and letters illustrate how legal assistance can change a life, lift a person out of poverty, or remove an obstacle to a better future.  

Nancy* is 16, had failed one grade, was about to fail another, and was on the path to dropping out. She came before Juvenile Court due to truancy and was referred to Legal Aid. Nancy admitted to her attorney that she was not attending school because she is ashamed of how poorly she was doing. Legal Aid set up a meeting with Nancy’s father, school personnel and her probation officer. Through Legal Aid’s advocacy it was agreed that Nancy would receive tutoring and extra time to complete assignments. Her father and her Probation Officer agreed to proactively monitor Nancy’s progress. Nancy is now doing much better in school. She was promoted to the next grade and is on the road to getting a high school diploma.

Carey is a low-income, working, single mom with two children.  In order to work, Carey needs childcare and thus, depends on help from Ohio’s Childcare Voucher program. This program helps her meet her monthly childcare costs. Cary was told by a local agency that funding cuts were ending her childcare assistance. Legal Aid investigated and helped Carey and 15 other Brown County families retain their childcare vouchers, and thus the ability to retain their jobs and support their families.

Five low-income working families were living in turmoil because their water was cut off when their landlord did not pay the water bill. In frustration the tenants came to Legal Aid for help. Legal Aid won a court case for the tenants, through which rent money the tenants had set aside was turned over to Cincinnati Water Works. The water was turned on and living conditions for the families returned to normal.

Ms. Brady, a 35-year-old mother of four, was referred to Legal Aid by United Way, after the lending agency that held the mortgage on her Price Hill home claimed she was delinquent on her payments. The lender was about to foreclose on the family’s home. Ms. Brady’s mortgage agreement stated that she would pay her own taxes, which she had. The mortgage company had mistakenly been paying her taxes and subtracting this amount from her payments. Even though Legal Aid pointed out this error, the mortgage company insisted that Ms. Brady owed money and that foreclosure was the next step. After Legal Aid filed court papers on behalf of Ms. Brady, the lender finally admitted its error. Ms. Brady and her children now live in their home without the threat of foreclosure.

Yasmine is a veteran who was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. She left New Orleans and found housing in Cincinnati through a program of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The apartment complex where Yasmine was placed had strict rules regarding the condition of automobiles permitted in their parking lot: cars with dents were not allowed. Yasmine’s car had dents so the landlord threatened eviction. Legal Aid intervened on Yasmine’s behalf and negotiated a settlement so that Yasmine, after the trauma of Katrina, did not have to move again, and was able to retain her car which she needed to get to work.

A letter from a client who was subjected to domestic violence and helped by Legal Aid:

 Dear Mr. Greene,    While sitting here at work I was just thinking about the changes that have redirected my life for the better.   I am so grateful to the Legal Aid Society. Without them I would not have had an attorney like you to represent me in the courtroom the way you did. I am and will always be a living testimony that women should not and do not have to live with abuse. My situation could have been fatal and I too could have become a statistic.    Out of all that bad came good. Thank you. Thank you.    

A letter from a client who obtained a much-needed divorce after waiting many years:

 To whom it may concern,    My name is Beth Baker. I am a client of Carrie Hagen-Gray. I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful job she is doing, and that I appreciate her very much. She has been very professional in many ways. She has shown me a lot of empathy and kindness and has reached out to me in many ways that a lawyer usually wouldn’t do. She has given me pep talks to encourage me and let me know that it’s going to be alright.    I just wanted to say thanks to you for giving me her as my attorney for my divorce and for keeping her on your staff. You should be proud to have someone like her on your staff. God bless you all and thanks again. You have no idea how much this means to me.   

A letter from a client who was helped by a Legal Aid attorney who is the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) for her children and an advocate with the Butler County Drug Court:

 Dear Adolf,     I am glad that you are my kid’s GAL and that you are part of the Drug Court.  Thank you for believing in me. If I would have had the support the first time that I have now, my kids wouldn’t have been taken away again. Thank you for all your support.

  *Out of respect for our client’s privacy, names have been changed in each of these true-life situations.