A 2014 study by the Boston Bar Association found that civil legal aid service providers turn away 64% of income-eligible cases, for lack of funds. That means that over 30,000 low-income residents in Massachusetts, facing eviction, domestic violence, and other crises, faced them alone. The BBA Report made special note of family law cases, which are turned away 80% of the time. Is technology a big part of the solution for this tremendous need? MA Appleseed thinks so, and is embarking on a new direction for our organization to look at the models by which low-income people are provided legal services and how technology can make a real difference in access to justice.

Our signature project positions MA Appleseed at the forefront of understanding the intersection of school discipline practices, zero tolerance, and youth entering the juvenile justice system. We seek to mitigate effects of zero tolerance, remove barriers to access to public education, and support at-risk youth to keep kids in class where they are safe, supported, and available for learning.

We partnered with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, PAIR, KIND and other organizations to create a “Family Preparedness Packet” for immigrants and others who might need to make arrangements for their children in case they are suddenly unable to care for them themselves. This packet includes information about how families can protect their assets and determine who will care for their children in emergency situations such as a medical crisis or the need to leave the country.

Each year, the Massachusetts state legislature passes a state budget that provides funding for various state programs, agencies and departments for the following year. Throughout the budget process, advocates, including Massachusetts Appleseed and our supporters, have opportunities to contact their elected representatives and urge them to adequately fund programs that they care about.

In response to an emerging homeless population among college students, MA Appleseed has partnered with the Office of Urban and Off-Campus Support Services (U-ACCESS) at the University of Massachusetts Boston to establish the “Massachusetts Homeless Post-Secondary Students Network”. The Network engages a cross section of diverse stakeholders, including colleges, high schools, state agencies, service providers, policy advocates, and community members, who all share a common purpose to support youth in access to public education. Together, these stakeholders work to identify systemic barriers, advocate for policy changes, and develop programs and best practices to facilitate meaningful access to higher education for youth at-risk of homelessness, youth subject to chronic poverty, and youth experiencing homelessness.