EVERY DONATION HOLDS WEIGHT

For years, Ana lived in fear—trapped by abuse and afraid that seeking help would lead to deportation.

With HarborCOV’s ILSP team’s support, she gained her green card and the confidence to rebuild her life. Ana reunited with her daughter, built credit, and bought her first home.

Today, she looks at her green card as a reminder of her courage and the new life she once thought impossible.

When the Department of Children and Families began investigating Deborah, she feared losing custody of her children.

With help from Community Legal Aid’s Family Preservation Project, advocates ensured DCF recognized her strengths and treated her fairly. The team also identified that her children’s school was failing to meet their special education needs and worked to secure proper supports. Their advocacy led DCF to close the case and reverse its neglect finding.

Today, Deborah’s family remains together, her children are thriving in school, and her record is clear for the future.

After fleeing Afghanistan with their children during the Taliban takeover, Hasinah and Walid arrived in the U.S. with limited English and an uncertain future.

With support from Catholic Charities and the Center for New Americans, they enrolled in English classes, found work, and began rebuilding their lives. The Center’s attorney guided them through Temporary Protected Status and asylum applications—attending their interview and ultimately securing asylum.

Today, Hasinah and Walid are safe, working, and building a new life for their family in the U.S.

When their Cambridge apartment fell into disrepair, elderly veterans Ellsworth and Agnes faced eviction and the loss of their housing voucher.

With Ellsworth in poor health, they struggled to navigate the court system. A De Novo attorney stepped in, secured needed repairs, and uncovered an overlooked $138 debt that could have cost them their home.

Just days before the deadline, the debt was resolved—allowing Ellsworth and Agnes to remain safely and stably housed in the community they love.

When Luis, a 10th grader with autism and an emotional disability, began feeling unsafe and targeted at school, his mother reached out to MAC for help.

Despite the district’s attempt to move him to a more restrictive classroom, MAC’s attorney secured a safety transfer and continued advocating for his inclusion.

Now thriving in his new school, Luis feels safe, supported, and happy—earning As and Bs and attending every day. His mother says it’s like she has her son back again.

When veteran and single mother Marie faced eviction, she turned to the VLS legal tent at Boston Stand Down for help.

With support from a VLS attorney and a Supportive Services for Veteran Families caseworker, emergency filings were drafted to prevent her family from losing their home.

The team’s quick action led to a new agreement with her landlord, a renewed lease, and payment of back rent through SSVF funds.

Today, Marie and her four children are safely housed—and she says she’ll never forget how her attorney “listened and truly cared.”