Newark, NJ (July 31, 2020) — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is pleased to announce it has received a $30,000 grant from the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF) in support of our Tenancy Program.
VLJ’s Tenancy Program provides housing stability for low-income families in Essex County by supplying essential legal assistance to tenants facing imminent eviction through the use of staff and pro bono volunteers. Last year, 83% of the families helped had positive outcomes: landlords were forced to make repairs to uninhabitable units, tenants were given more time or more money to move to new units, and/or eviction complaints were dismissed entirely so that families could stay in their homes. VLJ employs a clinic model to meet with clients, where attorneys provide legal advice, draft proposed settlements, and, when appropriate, negotiate with landlords’ attorneys. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has made in-person meetings impossible, VLJ and our volunteer attorneys have continued to provide high-quality free legal assistance to our clients virtually.
In addition to the individual assistance provided to clients at clinics, VLJ works tirelessly to advocate for wider landlord/tenant reforms. Since the onset of the crisis in March 2020, VLJ has led a coalition of housing advocates to address eviction and housing issues for low-income tenants across the state.
JWF’s grant will greatly expand the legal services available to low-income tenants in Essex County. Allison Nolan, VLJ’s Staff Attorney in charge of the Tenancy Program, said, “JWF’s generous support will allow VLJ to expand our tenancy work at a time when housing stability has never been more crucial. Providing legal counsel to tenants facing eviction can bring life changing outcomes. I am so grateful to the JFW for their commitment to positively impacting lives in New Jersey through grants like this one.”
“Now, more than ever, a stable home is essential. It is a privilege for us to support VLJ as they support tenants in need,” said Susan Present, Co-Chair of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of NJ.
VLJ is very grateful for the support from the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey to help meet the legal needs of those in our community.
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About VLJ
VLJ is a non-profit law firm that provides civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable client populations throughout New Jersey. VLJ’s model for ensuring fair access to the legal system makes the most of scarce financial resources through partnerships with hundreds of volunteer attorneys. With the support of 560 volunteers, VLJ helped 1,460 clients last year, including veterans, children, tenants, families, and victims of human trafficking, through 10 distinct pro bono programs. To learn more, please visit www.vljnj.org
About JWF
The mission of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF) is to transform the lives of individual women and girls through collective grantmaking while improving the quality of life for the entire community. To learn more, please visit www.jwfnj.org