The @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social Office protects DC consumers. Tzedek DC and 28 organizations urge Congress to oppose HR 5179 to “reform” the DC Attorney General’s office by eliminating a locally accountable, independently elected AG with a Presidential appointee. nclnet.org/wp-content/u...

This incredible message from longtime volunteer Senior Advisor Janet Lowenthal highlights how she connected with Tzedek DC and why she has lent her support to us for nearly nine years. We are so grateful to Janet! mailchi.mp/tzedekdc/med...

A recent report from @harvard.edu shows that the odds of surviving cancer drop drastically when the patient's #CreditScore dips. This harrowing data demonstrates the importance of keeping #MedicalDebt off credit reports, as proposed by the DC Council. news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor....

Our client, Berenice, a DC mother of four, was assured that financial assistance would cover the eye procedure her teenage daughter needed to prevent blindness. However, the provider demanded $5,000 upfront for the second surgery—or they would refuse treatment. Read more: mailchi.mp/tzedekdc/med...

🧵 Thank you so much to the DC residents and our local and national allies who made sure your voices were heard this week in support of DC medical debt reform.

A poll from @unduemeddebt.bsky.social shows bipartisan support from voters for policies that protect people from #MedicalDebt. We testified earlier this week to the DC Council in support of a proposed law that would do this in the District. unduemedicaldebt.org/bipartisan-s...

This @npr.org article highlights how advocates for patients and consumers have shifted their work to contain the rising problem of #MedicalDebt to state efforts. Tzedek DC testified on behalf of medical debt reform to the DC Council to this effect yesterday. www.npr.org/2025/09/25/n...

Today, Tzedek DC testified in support of the Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act introduced by @chenderson.bsky.social. The bill comes from recommendations made in our report "More Than a Band-Aid" and builds on the District's historic cancellation of $42 million in medical debt last year.

@washingtonpost.com featured this woman who got stuck with a $97,000 bill after shattering her elbow. She noted, “I’ll make payments the rest of my life to pay it all off.” Today, Tzedek DC is testifying in support of #MedicalDebt reform to combat this. www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202...

Tzedek DC and 80 orgs urge Congress to empower regulatory experts and agencies to address the potential harms of emerging AI technology. The SANDBOX Act would tilt power toward industry at the expense of consumers, workers, and the environment. sensiblesafeguards.org/outreach/css...

Check out the latest issue of our Financial Empowerment newsletter on #AI, #Credit, and the Myth of the Shortcut. Learn what AI CAN and CANNOT do for your credit as well as how to truly build strong credit over time via trusted habits. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Make sure to let your voice be heard and register to testify in-person in support of the Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act. Registration for in-person testimony ends tomorrow, Dec. 11th at 5 pm: lims.dccouncil.gov/Hearings/hea...

Miriam grew up in a working class immigrant family without access to financial education. After joining our Financial Empowerment Program, she feels empowered to achieve her goals. Check out Miriam's story and learn how your gift can offer a financial lifeline. mailchi.mp/tzedekdc/giv...

Tzedek DC was quoted in a @washingtonpost.com article on cash bail in DC. "If we further crowd the jail with people whose only real offense at that point... is that they don’t have the money to pay bail, we’re going to make the jail even more dangerous." www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Don't miss this feature from @newsweek.com that outlines the rising problem of #MedicalDebt for Americans as health care and insurance costs are slated to rise in 2026 just as millions of Americans lose access to health insurance. www.newsweek.com/the-debt-set...

We had a great time yesterday at the Greenleaf Senior Center leading another successful session of our financial freedom bingo! Shouts out to Tzedek DC staff members Maritza Cortez and Hannah Milem and intern David Duong for representing. We look forward to the next one!

[email protected] covered the reform debates about the harms of #MedicalDebt on credit reports, linking to our report on DC’s medical debt crisis in advance of the upcoming December 15 @councilofdc.bsky.social hearing on proposed reforms arising out of the report. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities! The UN's theme this year is fostering disability-inclusive societies—in all aspects of social, economic, cultural, and political life—for advancing social progress. Advancing social development depends on this inclusion.

This #GivingTuesday, help DC residents protect their rights and strengthen their financial stability by supporting Tzedek DC's work. www.tzedekdc.org/donate-now

Happy Thanksgiving from Tzedek DC! We are enjoying delicious treats from our favorite bakery, Sunflower Bakery, which provides skilled job training and employment for young adults with learning differences. We're grateful for the chance to support their mission.

Check out our latest #TzedekationDigest, with updates on the robust work we've done over the past month. This month also features our first-ever Director of Development, Jessica Trease, who joined us at the end of August. mailchi.mp/tzedekdc/tze...

Shout out to John Blake & Marissa Ditkowsky for their panels at the @nclc4consumers.bsky.social conference last week! John spoke about tenant screening with @nhlp.bsky.social's Eric Dunn & NCLC's Chi Chi Wu. Marissa & Joshua Horton discussed supplementing consumer claims with disability rights laws.

Tzedek DC is thrilled to announce the growth of our development and communications team! Jessica Trease and Sarah Foster joined as Development Director and Development Associate. Caitlyn Hickman has been promoted to Assistant Director of Development. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Yesterday, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction halting the National Guard deployment in DC following a lawsuit by the District of Columbia. In September, Tzedek DC and allies submitted an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Tzedek DC's advocacy against Congress reimposing cash bail on DC was featured in @washingtonpost.com, @bailproject.org, @dcnewsnow.bsky.social, & @fox5dc.com.web.brid.gy. As the bill now moves to the Senate, Tzedek DC and allies will continue the fight. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

This article from @bailproject.org that quotes Tzedek DC shows how the results of advancing legislation to reinstate cash bail in DC could be catastrophic. The data show that the government’s push to reinstate cash bail isn’t about public safety. bailproject.org/learn/the-fi...

Some argue that jail helps people “get their mind right,” but the data shows that pretrial detention leads to violence, job loss, and homelessness. It RAISES community risks. See the evidence for yourself in the Report. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

STOP! DC’s bail laws have not increased crime. In recent data, 98.8% of those released pretrial returned home safely, with most avoiding re-arrest and showing up for every court date. Get the data and full story by reading our latest report. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Bail is about pretrial release, not payment. Since 1992, DC has used a risk-based pretrial detention system to protect public safety and fairness, keeping money out of justice decisions. Learn why DC’s system matters and how it has been working in our report. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Dangerous federal actions threaten DC’s public safety laws by forcing cash bail. If HR 5214 passes, people could remain in jail simply for being unable to pay, while those who can pay buy their freedom. Join the conversation and see the facts in our report. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Tell Congress to vote NO to forcing cash bail on DC! Today, Tzedek DC , @ccefordc.bsky.social, DC Justice Lab, and 180+ others joined together to oppose federal attempts to force cash bail on DC through HR 5214. A House vote is scheduled for tomorrow, 11/19. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Jail isn’t just traumatizing, it’s dangerous. DC Jail has a death rate 3.5 times above the national average. Cash bail would overcrowd jails, putting more lives at risk. Review our latest report on the harms of cash bail to learn more about the consequences for DC. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Cash bail lets bail bond companies profit from families, especially women of color. They pay nonrefundable fees and enter predatory contracts. The companies make $1.4B a year on the backs of folks who can't afford to pay. See who profits and who pays in our report: www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Pretrial detention causes job loss, missed work, lost housing, and can break up families. It punishes people before trial just because they can’t pay. Even a single day in jail can have devastating effects. Find out why reform matters in our latest report: www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

DC residents pay $241 per day to incarcerate someone—that's more than $191M every year! Cash bail risks driving these costs even higher. This money could support schools, healthcare, housing, jobs, infrastructure. Discover how policy decisions impact our community: www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Tzedek DC released a new report today on Why Imposing Cash Bail Would Fail the People of DC, detailing how the District became a role model for its risk-based detention system adopted in 1992 and showing how the proposed bill to reimpose cash bail harms residents. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Tzedek DC and allies have filed an amicus brief today challenging the attempted firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter in an effort to protect the currently independent commission. www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...

We support the DC Courts authorizing a Community Justice Worker program in DC, which would train nonlawyers to assist low-income residents with legal matters while working under attorney supervision; 80% of low-income Americans cannot afford legal help. www.tzedekdc.org/s/FINAL-Tzed...

Federal efforts to bring back cash bail in DC would harm Black residents and reverse decades of progress. @dcfpi.bsky.social explains why fair, risk-based pretrial systems keep communities safe and equitable. www.dcfpi.org/all/federal-...

A new @nclc4consumers.bsky.social report shares survey results from Tzedek DC and 200+ other providers and details barriers to relief for victims of #CoercedDebt—fraudulently opening accounts in a victim's name or coercing them into taking on unwanted debt. www.nclc.org/coerced-debt...

Tzedek DC and allies urged the DC Court of Appeals to protect District consumers' rights to seek relief from illegal practices by DC's utility companies, which currently enjoy immunity from being sued despite their history of deceptive and unfair trade practices. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Happy Halloween from us at Tzedek DC! 👻🎃🍬

Tzedek DC and allies filed an amici brief this week in support of a class-action lawsuit against DHS and other federal agencies and officials for illegal immigration arrests. @africansus.bsky.social @breadforthecity.bsky.social @childrenslawcenter.org www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Our latest #Tzedekation Digest has been released! Check out the newsletter featuring collected updates from the past month, plus a feature on our newest @avodah.bsky.social Corps Fellow, Danya Dubrow-Compaine. mailchi.mp/tzedekdc/tze...

Check out this article from our financial counseling team outlining what the government shutdown means for DC residents—and how Tzedek DC can support. It's full of helpful tips, information, and community resources. www.tzedekdc.org/news-1/2025/...

Sign-On Opportunity for Nonprofits and Individuals to Oppose Cash Bail in DC! The deadline is NEXT FRIDAY, 11/7. Complete the short sign-on form is at link: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

Tzedek DC staff had a blast at the second annual DC Walk for Justice 5K last week! Alongside other justice-oriented individuals and organizations, we raised $338,000 for civil legal aid in DC! Thank you to the DC Bar Foundation for hosting this event #5K #WalkforJustice #LegalAid #LegalServices

Tzedek DC is grateful to @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social for legislation to protect tenants and residents from abrupt water service disconnections: collection on a building’s outstanding water debts shouldn’t mean multifamily water disconnections. Excited to support this crucial legislation!

Tzedek DC & Legal Aid DC, LCE, @consumerfed.bsky.social, the UCB Consumer Law Center, and Travelers United testified Weds to the DC Council CPO in support of clarifying "merchants" in DC and increasing consumer protection for abusive trade practices. Check it out: lims.dccouncil.gov/Hearings/hea...

Don't miss this discussion spotlighting #CoercedDebt this Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Carla Sánchez-Adams from @nclc4consumers.bsky.social joins @americanbar.org to explore how economic abuse functions as a form of coercive control and more. youtu.be/W1cxm2l8HgI #DVAM #DVAM2025