A survey by Legal Momentum of over 600 DV service providers shows that TANF programs are not meeting the needs of DV survivors.

The news arm of the U.S. Courts reported yesterday that “non-business” bankruptcy filings were up 32% for calendar year 2009. The dramatic rise in bankruptcies cut across both business and non-business debt, but the vast majority of bankruptcies in 2009 involved non-business debt. “In CY 2009, they totaled 1,412,838, up 32 percent from the 1,074,108 non-business bankruptcy filings in CY 2008.”

Center on Budget Policies and Priorities is out with a new look at the safety net. Conclusion: food stamps, an entitlement program, is more responsive, than the block-granted TANF programs. Contains state information. (CA had a 109% increase in unemployment; CalWORKs went up 16% and food stamps 43%.)

The National LGBT Legal Aid Forum is a new listserv dedicated to improving legal services for low-income LGBT clients. This listserv is a forum for members to post questions and answers related to serving LGBT clients, and to share resources and updates on new developments in LGBT-related law. Legal aid advocates who are committed to effectively advocating for LGBT people and their families are invited to apply for membership. Attorneys from national, state and regional LGBT legal organizations who wish to communicate directly with a community of LGBT-supportive legal aid advocates are also invited to apply. The Forum’s members include advocates with expertise in various aspects of LGBT-related law, including, but not limited to family, employment, health, immigration and domestic violence law. Legal aid advocates with no prior experience serving LGBT clients, but who wish to build their knowledge base and access related information, are also welcome. This listserv is administered by California Rural Legal Assistance and the National Center for Lesbian Rights with guidance and support from a committee of attorneys from New York Legal Assistance Group, Lambda Legal and Legal Services of Northern California. To apply for membership to the forum, visit www.nclrights.org/LGBTlegalaid.

Buried at page C27 of its national edition yesterday, the New York Times published Food Stamp Materials Bound for Smithsonian, an article about the food stamp program and how elements of its historical record will soon find a home at the Smithsonian. (The image to the right is from a 1965 poster used as part of training for grocers.)

In typical journalistic fashion, the article sets up a polarity: On the one hand, there is Michael Katz, a historian at the University of Pennsylvania and an authority on welfare and social policy, who applauds the acquisition: “It shows an attention to the history of social policy, which is an important part of the history of this country that is relatively neglected by that museum.” The curmudgeonly opposing view is offered by Charles Murray, a conservative scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, who apparently views food stamps as a gateway drug to welfare dependency: “A roomful of material relating to food stamps is another example of why museums aren’t much fun anymore. I get chills when I go to a great museum and see Jefferson’s writing desk or the coat Nelson was wearing at Trafalgar,” whereas an acquisition like this, well, “It’s spinach, and it’s good for us. I say to hell with it.”

At this particular moment in history, 38 million — nearly one in eight Americans, half of whom are children — are now using food stamps. The article also states that “six million people report that food stamps are their only form of income.”

Urban Institute’s new paper, Transitioning In and Out of Poverty, found that slightly more than half of the U.S. population experiences poverty at some time before age 65. Roughly half of those who get out of poverty will become poor again within five years. Being under 30, African-American, or a single mother dramatically increases the chance of entering poverty.

Legal Momentum looks at the latest TANF caseload data in terms of the ecomony and other benefits programs. It’s conclusion? Not keeping pace. TANF increased only 6.6% over the first nineteen months of the
recession. This was far less than the increase in the real need for assistance implied by the increase over this same period of 27.4% in Food Stamp recipients and of 80% in the unemployment rate. California accounted for 3.2 of the 6.6% increase.

More on Jack Daniel’s life and work as published in his obituary in today’s Fresno Bee.

A tribute to our friend and legal services colleague, Jack Daniel, who died on January 2, written by Chris Schneider, Executive Director of Central California Legal Services:

I just received news that Jack Daniel died on Saturday. He went into a coma on New Year’s Eve and remained comatose for thirty six-hours. His wife Mary and family members were with Jack during his final hours. Home hospice workers helped make the final hours as comfortable as possible for him. Mary informs me that memorial services have not yet been planned. She will inform me when plans are finalized.

Jack’s first association with legal aid was that of client in the early 1970’s. Later he collaborated with legal aid as a community organizer. Eventually Jack worked with several legal aid organizations. He held numerous positions including: paralegal; attorney; trainer; managing attorney; director of litigation; regional counsel and any other position where he could be of service to the client community. Jack worked with Legal Aid of Western Michigan, East Texas Legal Services, Benchmark Institute, California Rural Legal Assistance had three “tours of duty” at CCLS. He also squeezed in stints as deputy public defender, general counsel of the United Farm Workers of America Education and Legal Defense Fund and as a civil rights specialist at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In each of his positions Jack has brought a zeal for the work that inspired those around him.

Jack was never a nine-to-five person. Almost anyone who worked with Jack has been the recipient of 2:00 AM emails in which Jack sought to share a litigation strategy or novel legal argument that he had just thought up. Many times on a Monday morning one would find their email in-box crammed with messages from Jack sent throughout the weekend.

No matter where he is worked, he always found time to do pro bono work. Jack believed that legal aid attorneys who ask private attorneys to work pro bono should lead by example. When congress placed restrictions on the work that legal aid attorneys could do, Jack voluntarily reduced his hours of work. No longer employed full time as a legal aid attorney he used his freed up time to work pro bono on cases that he could not work on at an LSC funded legal aid organization. In 1999 Jack received the State Bar President’s Pro Bono award for work on cases he did outside of his already heavy load at Central California Legal Services. In his career with legal services Jack was been involved in almost every area of poverty law. He worked on service cases and impact cases. He forged alliances with numerous organizations and agencies. He took special pride in his work with youth. Jack worked collaboratively with other legal aid organizations and private attorneys. He recognized the strength in bringing together differing views and perspectives to get the best result possible. Jack believed that legal aid work best when we work with community based organizations. Client participation and leadership was paramount to Jack. He effectively worked with CBOs to identify impact issues. Once the issues were identified Jack sought solutions that promoted community involvement and empowerment.

Jack was a tireless advocate for justice for disenfranchised individuals and communities. His commitment to justice was infused with a singular sense of humor that kept him, co-workers and often his clients, going through the most difficult of challenges.

Rest in peace, Jack.

The 52-page Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill has been published by the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging. The guide “is designed for both the seriously ill individual and those caring for someone who is seriously ill. The guide explains ‘Seven Key Steps’ in a brief, clear way while offering additional tips and resources for readers looking for more detailed information and guidance.” Read more about this project in the press release.