Category: Advocacy

Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown (D) said Tuesday that his “number one objective” is to keep shelters open for homeless families and victims of domestic violence. – Washington Post, Tuesday May 10, 2011 Because of YOU, people are listening. Nearly every DC Council member has expressed concern about the plight of priority 1 homeless families and we are hearing that the Council will restore at least some funding to keep emergency family shelter open year-round. Our deepest thanks to all of our friends and allies who took the time to urge the Council to adopt a budget that is fair… Read more…

Check out the May 2011 issue of “Listen Up” which includes information about the upcoming DHS mark-up and the Safety Net Walking Tour! Read more…

It is springtime in Washington: hypothermia shelters have closed for the season; the cherry blossoms have come and gone; oak pollen has sent allergy sufferers into great misery; and we at WLCH are frantically advocating with the DC Council members to protect vital safety net programs. While by some measures it appears that the country is climbing out of tough economic times, a close look at the FY 2012 budget proposal that Mayor Gray has submitted to the DC Council would suggest otherwise. To close a projected $330 million budget gap, the mayor has proposed a combination of revenue enhancements… Read more…

March 22nd, 2011 | by Aleksandra Gajdeczka of the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmSekCCS4To&w=480&h=390] Imagine a disability that renders you unable to work, ever again. Now imagine you have no income, no savings, and no employer-sponsored insurance. You apply for federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI), only to find that the application process is long and complex. Chances are, you will have wait for a year or two, if not longer, before your first federal disability check comes. And in the meantime, how do you get by? The short video below, created by DCFPI and So Others Might Eat, features… Read more…

By Daniel Michelson-Horowitz, Lane Evans Home Court Fellow at Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless My name is Daniel Michelson-Horowitz, and I am a Lane Evans Home Court Fellow. As a first-year law student at Georgetown, I am working with WLCH Executive Director Patty Mullahy Fugere to build a coalition of non-profits, social services agencies and community members who are concerned that the current budget crisis will mean severe cuts to the health, education, housing, and food security programs on which our city’s neediest residents depend. Together, we have formed Invest in DC, a diverse coalition that is encouraging Mayor… Read more…

Protect D.C. shelters from being shut down! Take Mayor Gray’s budget priority survey to show you want him to protect vital safety net services. On survey question #3, mark “human services” as a “5.” On question #4, please rank it a “5” to indicate you support revenue enhancements. Thanks for helping Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless & for supporting your neighbors! Read more…

Readers responded strongly to our recent blog post about a mother, who was a D.C. resident, being told to choose between leaving the District or giving up her children. We received some media attention for this post. One of the stories is by Jason Cherkis of the Washington City Paper, who followed up with a great article. At this point, the mother finally reached out to the Legal Clinic. While at Virginia Williams, and in front of Broas, a Child and Family Services Agency social worker delivered the bizarre ultimatum: Give up your kids or take a bus out of… Read more…