Iowa Legal Aid

Iowa Legal Aid and volunteer attorneys help the legal system work for those who cannot afford help with legal issues. Typical cases involve problems with basic necessities, fundamental rights or safety, including: Protecting victims of domestic violence. Preventing illegal evictions and unsafe housing. Securing income support such as SSI, Medicaid and disability benefits. Preventing consumer fraud and abusive debt collection practices. Iowa Legal Aid is an effective and efficient statewide program. Iowa Legal Aid provides services to residents of all 99 counties from offices in ten cities. Offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo. Each office has a toll-free telephone number. Iowa Legal Aid's website provides online access to legal information. Many of Iowa Legal Aid's clients receive help from volunteer lawyers through Volunteer Lawyers Projects operated by Iowa Legal Aid, the Polk County Bar Association and the Scott County Bar Association. Over 2,700 volunteer attorneys are signed up with one of Iowa's Volunteer Lawyers Projects. Each year participating attorneys provide free services valued at approximately $1.9 million to clients referred by Iowa Legal Aid. Almost 19,000 cases were handled by legal aid in Iowa in 2007. More than 73 percent of the cases involved women as the primary client. Over 20 percent of the clients served were senior citizens. More than one-third of the cases involved family law, the majority involving domestic abuse. Adding up the number of persons in the families served, almost 45,000 Iowans were helped by Iowa Legal Aid last year. The importance of the work done by Iowa Legal Aid is exemplified by the following comments received from clients assisted by Iowa Legal Aid: "Without your service I would not have received my new set of legs (i.e. power chair)." "You saw I was getting a bad deal and fought like the dickens for me." "I am a 38 year-old veteran with physical and mental disabilities. My life was in the balance with my illness - I had very little money and death for me would have been easy versus the humiliation and degradation I faced dealing with my disabilities. The great burden of income has been lifted and my children and I can now look forward - something I have not done in four years." "Without your help I would have been homeless. You are an inspiration to the legal system. Thank you so very much." To apply for assistance from Iowa Legal Aid, contact any regional office or call the following intake units: Eastern Iowa - (800) 332-0419 Central Iowa - (800) 532-1275 Western Iowa - (800) 352-0017 For questions about Iowa Legal Aid, call Dennis Groenenboom, 515-243-2980, extension 1620.