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The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are approximately 65,000 military veterans living in Marion County. These veterans face unique challenges during and after reintegration into the community. While the veteran homelessness rate has begun to decline since 2009 in response to growing government efforts, veterans still make up about 13 percent of the adult homeless population in the United States and face a host of other challenges. Of particular interest to those of us in the Indiana legal community, a VA study identifying the top 20 needs of homeless and near-homeless veterans included seven needs that can be affected directly through legal services.
Against this backdrop, Indiana Legal Services, Inc.’s Military Assistance Project provides free civil legal services to low-income military members, veterans, and their dependents. With the support of the 2013 Indianapolis Bar Foundation Impact Fund Grant, the Military Assistance Project is expanding its services to include regular client intake at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, a CLE course focused on veterans’ benefits and VA accreditation, the creation and distribution of a Cultural Competency Manual to assist pro bono and modest means attorneys interacting with veterans, and workshops covering issues like basic estate planning and child support.
The array of legal issues facing veterans—involving anything from VA benefit programs and discharge issues to common family law concerns—can be devastating. For instance, the Military Assistance Project’s intake programs connected program director Polli Pollem with one decorated Vietnam veteran whose out-of-state child support obligations took half of his Social Security check each month, leaving him homeless. Pollem leveraged the Military Assistance Project’s network to connect this Purple Heart recipient to a new veteran-focused legal services organization in the state where his support order was issued. That organization had not yet opened its doors to clients, but the Military Assistance Project’s advocacy made him one of their first. Pollem reports that, after his support obligations were modified, this grateful veteran is no longer homeless. Unfortunately, many others still are, and the Indianapolis Bar Foundation invites all members of the Indianapolis Bar Association and the broader legal community to support the good work that the Military Assistance Project has begun.
In 2014, the Indianapolis Bar Foundation will support another worthy cause with an Impact Fund Grant of at least $35,000. The Foundation will be accepting applications for the 2014 Impact Fund Grant through April 1, 2014. The grant will be awarded to a central Indiana non-profit organization who—like the Military Assistance Project—seeks to advance the administration of justice and an understanding of the law through philanthropy, education, and service. More information about the Indianapolis Bar Foundation and the 2014 Impact Fund Grant is available online at www.indybar.org/ibf.•
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