Legal Aid provides legal services to the homeless in Joplin area

Just about everyone needs the services of an attorney from time to time.

Sometimes, the people are homeless and have few if any resources.

Legal Aid of Western Missouri provides homeless people with legal assistance.

“We come in in a preventive capacity when people are facing eviction,” says Sarah Canada, a Paralegal with Legal Aid of Western Missouri.

“It might be self-help eviction or wrongful eviction. We see that when they have evictions on their record it’s hard to get new housing and can perpetually make them homeless.”

“We do public benefits denials, we do housing. If you are sued by a creditor, we do collections type work like that. We do healthcare directives, powers of attorney and domestic violence, if you are seeking a protective order,” Canada states.

She says Legal Aid provides a wide variety of services generally at no cost to people who meet one of two income tiers.

Assistance is also provided at no cost for those who are over 60 or who are victims of domestic violence.

For more information, call 1-800-492-7095.