METROWEST LEGAL SERVICES INC

MWLS HANDLED 3,949 CASES DURING FY25, AN INCREASE OF 18% OVER FY24. OF THOSE HANDLED, THE TYPES OF CASES HANDLED WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE RESULTS OF THE 2023 NEEDS ASSESSMENT. CASES HANDLED INCLUDED HOUSING AND IMMIGRATION - 31% EACH, FAMILY - 16%, DOCUMENT DRAFTING FOR SENIORS - 10%, GOVERNMENT BENEFITS AND HEALTH CARE ACCESS - 6%, CONSUMER - 4%, AND EDUCATION - 2%. MWLS ADVOCACY RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR CLIENTS DURING THE YEAR INCLUDING $6,795,587 IN DIRECT DOLLAR BENEFITS TO CLIENTS AND $4,108,684 IN DIRECT DOLLAR SAVINGS TO CLIENTS. MWLS CONTINUED TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN PRIVATE ATTORNEYS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRIVATE BAR INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM. MWLS CONTINUED ITS LAWYER FOR THE DAY IN MARLBOROUGH AND STARTED A NEW LAWYER FOR THE DAY IN THE NORFOLK PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT IN CANTON IN THE SPRING OF 2025. THE SENIOR CITIZEN LEGAL PROJECT HELD 108 ELDER LEGAL CLINICS AT 10 LOCAL SENIOR CENTERS THAT PROVIDED LEGAL ADVICE TO 474 SENIORS. THE IMMIGRATION UNIT HELD BI-MONTHLY CLINICS AT VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE WHERE IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS WERE SCREENED FOR POSSIBLE IMMIGRATION RELIEF AVAILABLE TO THEM. MWLS CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE OUTREACH ACROSS SUBSTANTIVE UNITS AND AS AN ORGANIZATION. OUTREACH TOOK MULTIPLE FORMS INCLUDING PARTICIPATING IN MANY LOCAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HEALTH FAIRS, SENIOR FAIRS, TABLING EVENTS THAT ARE HELD BY CITIES/TOWNS, SCHOOL EVENTS, AND EVENTS HELD BY OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION.MWLS ALSO PROVIDED 21 TRAINING EVENTS, BENEFITING 855 ATTENDEES.MWLS STAFF ALSO PARTICIPATED IN COALITIONS, COMMITTEES, AND ROUNDTABLES WHICH PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS AWARE OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM.