Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! We are proud to share this article, written by CLS Alum Ray Alvarez, about how La Liga del Barrio is preventing youth violence in Philadelphia. La Liga was founded by Ray & CLS paralegal Esther Alvarez 25 years ago. share.inquirer.com/srexTR

Starting in October 2025, the Pennsylvania Prison Society is offering safe, affordable bus rides from Philadelphia to four state prisons — SCI Benner, SCI Frackville, SCI Mahanoy, and SCI Muncy. Visits to these institutions are critical to keeping families together, including CLS clients.

Just because the Eagles won at the last minute yesterday (literally!) doesn't mean you should wait to apply for the Low Income Tax Freeze and Senior Citizen Tax Freeze. Applications are due September 30th!

Apply for the Low Income Tax Freeze and Senior Citizen Tax Freeze by September 30th! Thank you to Monty Wilson and Rachel Gallegos, Attorneys in the Homeownership & Consumer Rights Unit, for spreading the word. Go Birds. youtube.com/shorts/cncpi...

Applications are now open for our summer law student internship program! Interns will receive exceptional training and the opportunity to work with some of the most talented legal minds in civil legal services. Learn more about the internship and apply at clsphila.org/careers.

Thank you to Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson for hosting a Wills Workshop with us last week, in collaboration with Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. and the City of Philadelphia Register of Wills.

Thank you to Councilmembers Rue Landau and Nina Ahmad for hosting us for a constituent services training session about helping Philadelphians navigate the new SNAP work requirements.

Find out if you may able to get your record cleared to open the door to new employment opportunities! Check out mycleanslatepa.org If your record can’t be sealed and you need to apply for a pardon, there’s good news! The Board of Pardons recently launched a new, easy, online application: bop.pa.gov

New SNAP rules start in September! Most adults must now work 20+ hours/week to stay on SNAP unless exempt. Those who aren’t exempt or don’t meet the requirement can only get 3 months of SNAP every 3 years. Need help? Check out this guide from @clsphila.bsky.social: clsphila.org/SNAPchanges

Join us for a webinar with the Urban League of Philadelphia about the impact of H.R.1 and the cuts to SNAP and Medicaid Thursday, August 21, from 1-2pm on Zoom. This will be a non-partisan space to learn, connect, and prepare for collective action. Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Pennsylvania has the lowest minimum wage out of any state in our region. A living wage helps families, businesses, and the economy. That's why we support #RaiseTheWage

No matter where you live in Pennsylvania, civil legal aid is within reach. Each year, our network provides free legal help to low-income residents in all 67 counties of the state—supporting veterans, seniors, homeowners, children, those recovering from disasters, and many others: www.palegalaid.net

I also recommend any Philadelphian who cares about this kind of thing regularly donate to @clsphila.bsky.social They are absolute champions — nationally, not just locally — of defending and winning benefits and rights that people need in order to live.

Across Pennsylvania, people face barriers to accessing the legal system due to language gaps, disability access, lack of transportation, and the basic cost of legal help. Civil legal aid levels the playing field and makes justice accessible for all.

Protect Medicaid and SNAP from cuts. Call your Congress members today at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to reject work requirements!

Medicaid work requirements and more renewals will terminate health care for: • Seniors in nursing homes • Families • Caregivers • People fighting cancer • Workers who get laid off • Gig and freelance workers

Work requirements are just cuts by another name. They are expensive and unworkable. There is no surefire way to exempt older adults and people with disabilities from work requirements, so if there are SNAP work requirements, everyone on SNAP is at risk of losing their benefits.

Most adults with these benefits already work. This will only: • Add more burdensome paperwork. • Add more red tape by forcing you to prove that you're working or unable to work. • Overload county assistance offices, increasing your wait times. • Result in you losing healthcare when you lose your job

Congress has proposed deep cuts to Medicaid & SNAP that would take away health care and nutrition assistance. These cuts include adding even more paperwork requirements including work requirements and more frequent renewals. Medicaid & SNAP work requirements are cuts to healthcare & food assistance.

Do you or someone you know get health insurance from the County Assistance Office? Do you or a loved one get home care services? Do you or someone you know receive SNAP? Your benefits may be at risk!

On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget bill that seeks to cut billions of dollars from Medicaid and SNAP. The bill now moves to the Senate. Your voice is more important than ever.

Did you know cuts to Medicaid will force disabled people and seniors into institutionalized care? Thank you to CLS Attorney and Duffy Fellow Tue Ho for explaining the importance of Home and Community Based Services! youtube.com/shorts/2zPwj...

Did you know Medicaid benefits every one of us, whether or not we receive Medicaid? Medicaid gives older adults & people with disabilities access to lifesaving care & it funds the healthcare services we all need. Any cuts to Medicaid are cuts to our quality of life. youtube.com/shorts/3kXnh...

The Family Advocacy Unit at CLS provides support and services to families affected by the child welfare system, working every day to bring families back together and prevent removal in the first place.

This week, CLS Managing Attorney for the Employment Unit and Youth Justice Project Jamie Gullen provided testimony in support of crucial updates to Philadelphia’s Fair Chance Hiring Law.

What an honor! 🙏 Last week, PLAN, Inc. was presented with the 2025 Equal Justice Award at Community Legal Services' 36th Annual Breakfast of Champions. Thank you to @clsphila.bsky.social for this meaningful recognition and to our dedicated staff and partners who make this work possible!

On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget bill that seeks to cut billions of dollars from Medicaid and SNAP. The bill now moves to the Senate. Your voice is more important than ever.

All renters have a legal right to a safe and habitable home. If a landlord fails to make necessary repairs, tenants, with notice, can pay for the repairs themselves, and then deduct the cost from future payments. whyy.org/articles/phi...

For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we're celebrating our Language Access Project, dedicated to ensuring our clients can access important services in their preferred language—& we heard from some of our API staff who speak multiple languages about the work they do! youtube.com/shorts/Vd_-n...

CLS attorney Kate Dugan spoke in support of new legislation introduced this morning by Councilmember Gilmore Richardson. The law would permit victims of deed fraud to receive refunds of the transfer taxes paid by scammers. Under current law, victims are not entitled to petition for this money.

Pennsylvania has a new consumer protection hotline and website to protect Pennsylvanians from financial, insurance, and consumer scams. If you have been scammed, this one-stop shop resource may be able to help you! Call: 1-866-PA-COMPLAINT Visit pa.gov/consumer

Abandoned construction projects can deteriorate very quickly, causing significant damage to adjacent rowhomes, and it’s the longtime residents living next door that end up having to deal with the aftermath. www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Neshea Jackson, Employment Unit paralegal, recently went on @kywnewsradio.bsky.social's “Bridging Philly” to talk about the pardon process & how she uses her experience to guide clients through expungement, helping them clear their records & get a fresh start. www.audacy.com/podcast/brid...

Today City Council voted to pass the POWER Act, which was introduced by @kendraphlcouncil.bsky.social's office & will strengthen enforcement of Philadelphia's Worker Protection Ordinances, like Paid Sick Leave, the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights & the wage theft ordinance.

CLS Youth Justice Project Fellow Zaina Fairey created a video and a page of resources on what you need to know as a disabled youth when seeking accommodations in the workplace. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEIC... For more resources, visit clsphila.org/services/emp...

We're thrilled that CLS Executive Director Debby Freedman could speak alongside @governor.pa.gov about a new resource for victims of scams & fraud in PA. Thank you to Gov. Shapiro for his leadership & dedication! We were also glad to see @palegalaidnetwork.bsky.social Executive Dir. Meredith Rapkin

Hearings are this week! ⬇️

We’re celebrating 59 years of fighting for justice in Philadelphia! CLS staff members took a moment to reflect on everything we have accomplished together. Take a look! youtube.com/shorts/02LVX...

The Philadelphia Water Department wants to raise your rates. Make your voice heard! Visit clsphila.org/WaterRate2025 to learn more and to tell the Rate Board what you think about the proposed water rate increase.

CLS is thrilled to announce Tue Ho, attorney at our Medical Legal Partnership at the Wyss Wellness Center, has been named the newest Duffy Fellow. Jen Burdick, attorney in our SSI Unit & the first CLS Duffy Fellow, continues her representation & advocacy under the Duffy Fellowship.

PGW wants to raise rates and increase your monthly bills! Their proposal will increase monthly bills by 13% on average for residential customers. Your voice matters!

Public input hearings begin today. Share how water rate increases would affect you and your loved ones! clsphila.org/utilities/ho...

The Philadelphia Water Department has requested a water rate increase of $222 million over the next two years, which will increase rates for Philadelphia families. This evening and tomorrow there are public hearings hosted by the Rate Board. You can stop by to make your voice heard.

Meetings coming up starting April 22! Read up here

The Philadelphia Water Department wants to raise your rates. Make your voice heard! Tell the Rate Board what you think about the proposed water rate increase at an upcoming public hearing. Visit clsphila.org/WaterRate2025 for more info and how to join the hearings. Your voice matters!

Do you know your rights when it comes to security deposits in Pennsylvania? Learn how much landlords can charge, when they must return your deposit, and what steps you can take if they don’t. Get the details here: bit.ly/PALawHelp-Se...

At the 2025 Excellence Awards, we were proud to honor Maripat Pileggi, Divisional Supervising Attorney at @clsphila.bsky.social, with the Outstanding Attorney Advocate Award. Watch her full video tribute here: bit.ly/3QZyDpQ

A special moment from the 2025 Excellence Awards! Our keynote speaker, @repjordanharris.com, joined by PLAN, Inc. Executive Director Meredith Rapkin, Sharon Dietrich, @clsphila.bsky.social Litigation Director, and Rhodia Thomas, @midpennls.bsky.social Executive Director.

Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek Law turns five years old on April 1—having a predictable work schedule is no joke. CLS is thrilled to see how this law has made a real difference in the lives of Philly’s frontline service, hospitality, and retail workers. clsphila.org/news/cls-cel...

Last night, CLS attorney Maripat Pileggi was presented with an Outstanding Attorney Advocate award from @palegalaidnetwork.bsky.social!