Nonprofit Legal Agency Sees Spike In Calls For Help
Agency Says Economic Troubles Hurting Low-Income People
Updated: 7:55 pm CST November 26, 2008
MADISON, Wis. -- A nonprofit legal agency that assists low-income people said it is getting inundated with calls for help.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportWorkers said the increases in the number of people they're hearing from is a bellwether for what's going on with the national economy.Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc. provides free legal help for the poor from six offices statewide, including in Madison. Workers at the Madison office said they are being overwhelmed by people trying to meet their most basic needs.Kevin Magee is one of nine staff attorneys at the local office who help low-income people meet their basic needs, which have grown dramatically over the past year."Everybody, I think, is worried about what's going to be happening over the coming months and even years. And we don't have a crystal ball. We're just trying to help people as they contact us. We're trying to do as much as we can for folks," Magee said.Legal Action said its office phones have been ringing off the hook as more people seek free legal help getting food stamps, medical care or housing support, including avoiding eviction and, more recently, home foreclosure.Legal Action said in the first half of 2008, compared to the first half of 2007, nearly 850 clients pursued free legal services -- an increase of more than 75 percent.Kathy Baker, who lives in an apartment on Madison's West Side, has a disability and said she knows what it's like to live below the poverty line. She's one of Legal Action's board members who are low-income.Baker said most clients are working but need help when an accident expense or unpredicted problem crops up."They're working as hard as they can, and they're just barely making it," Baker said.Baker and Magee both said the current economic downturn is pushing people already on a financial precipice over the edge."They've always been on the edge, and it doesn't even take the loss of a job to create a crisis for them. All it takes it losing some hours at work and they're not going to be able to afford their mortgage or even their rent," Magee said."There is no buffer; there's no fall back space; there's no reserve. In order to survive, we're talking live -- keep from dying -- you have to start breaking the rules," Baker said.Baker said more poor people are resorting to crime to get what they need to live as unemployment grows, and public benefits decrease or fall short.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportWorkers said the increases in the number of people they're hearing from is a bellwether for what's going on with the national economy.Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc. provides free legal help for the poor from six offices statewide, including in Madison. Workers at the Madison office said they are being overwhelmed by people trying to meet their most basic needs.Kevin Magee is one of nine staff attorneys at the local office who help low-income people meet their basic needs, which have grown dramatically over the past year."Everybody, I think, is worried about what's going to be happening over the coming months and even years. And we don't have a crystal ball. We're just trying to help people as they contact us. We're trying to do as much as we can for folks," Magee said.Legal Action said its office phones have been ringing off the hook as more people seek free legal help getting food stamps, medical care or housing support, including avoiding eviction and, more recently, home foreclosure.Legal Action said in the first half of 2008, compared to the first half of 2007, nearly 850 clients pursued free legal services -- an increase of more than 75 percent.Kathy Baker, who lives in an apartment on Madison's West Side, has a disability and said she knows what it's like to live below the poverty line. She's one of Legal Action's board members who are low-income.Baker said most clients are working but need help when an accident expense or unpredicted problem crops up."They're working as hard as they can, and they're just barely making it," Baker said.Baker and Magee both said the current economic downturn is pushing people already on a financial precipice over the edge."They've always been on the edge, and it doesn't even take the loss of a job to create a crisis for them. All it takes it losing some hours at work and they're not going to be able to afford their mortgage or even their rent," Magee said."There is no buffer; there's no fall back space; there's no reserve. In order to survive, we're talking live -- keep from dying -- you have to start breaking the rules," Baker said.Baker said more poor people are resorting to crime to get what they need to live as unemployment grows, and public benefits decrease or fall short. Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
