GEORGIA LAW CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS
In metropolitan Atlanta, The Georgia Law Center for the Homeless under Amy Zaremba (shown left) is the only agency dedicated to providing free legal representation and advocacy to people who are homeless or about to become homeless. The staff is made up of three practicing attorneys, four paralegal advocates (three full-time and one part-time), five administrative staff and 15 to 20 volunteers.
By Aleta Sinkfield
In 1983, Eric Kocher, Steve Gottleib and others from the Atlanta Legal Aid Society decided to start reaching out to people living in an area homeless shelter, and from there, the Legal Clinic for the Homeless was started. After several years of little funding and many volunteers, the lawyers received a grant from the government. The Department of Housing and Urban Development enabled the legal clinic personnel to move into a dedicated office space and hire additional staff. Soon the Legal Clinic for the Homeless changed its name to Georgia Law Center for the Homeless.
This group of concerned attorneys realized people who were homeless were not getting their legal needs met. They pressed forward to provide. The mission of the organization is to provide free legal representation to the homeless in civil matters before administrative agencies and in federal and state court. They strive to play a leadership role in addressing issues underlying homelessness. An underlying issue for homelessness can be as simple as not being able to get a state issued identification card because one does not have a copy of their birth certificate. Then, if one does not have a state issued identification, they cannot obtain a copy of their birth certificate. This would have anyone running around in circles of confusion. This is when legal representation is required. “Because of funding restrictions, an individual has to be homeless for the Law Center to work with them unless they are about to become homeless through being evicted,” said Amy Zaremba, Executive Director of the law Center. About three hundred people were assisted in 2008 by GLCH in obtaining their birth certificate. Because of this assistance, they were then able to receive a state issued identification card. These two documents are necessary in applying for a job or school, securing housing, or petitioning for federal assistance. Without either, the 300 people probably would have not made positive strides.
While providing the legal representation, the Law Center concurrently helps them address other matters that may also be contributing to their homelessness. This often comes in the form of referrals to programs which can help them further their education, seek housing or gain employment. Former Mayor Shirley Franklin, whose father was homeless in Philadelphia, was instrumental in agencies connecting with one another for the betterment of the homeless.The Law Center is a part of the Regional Commission on Homelessness and the Homeless Action Group, two collaborations of many other service providing agencies. The Law Center is funded by grants and monetary donations from the government, foundations and private individuals. Law Center staff and volunteers conduct outreach visits with about 25 area shelters, transitional housing programs, domestic violence programs, and other homeless service agencies to meet with people right in their community. People can also come to the Law Center office for onsite intake three days a week.
Ms. Zaremba came to Georgia in 2005 after law school, becoming the executive director of the Law Center in 2007. She has over 17 years of experience with the homeless by way of Chicago, Washington D.C., Boston, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Her work with the homeless began when she was a junior in college in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Zaremba was a member of her university’s student volunteer group. One night, the volunteer group spent the night in a homeless shelter. After that night, Ms. Zaremba continued to spend one night a week there until for the rest of the winter. Her genuine interest and commitment led to her becoming the director of the same shelter the next year, at age 20. That was in 1992 and she has been working with the homeless ever since. Her position as Executive Director of the Law Center allows her to combine her law degree with her passion for working with people who are homeless. “The team we have is great I am so fortunate to have my co-workers ad such dedicated staff. It is really a good crew…the best people I have worked,” said Ms. Zaremba. The organization celebrated its 25th anniversary in October of 2008. The Georgia Law Center For the Homeless is located at: 100 Edgewood Avenue N.E., Ste 1625, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, (404) 691-0680 www.galawcenter.org.  |
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