For years Kristi’s husband, Daniel, beat her severely. He sexually assaulted her, ripped out her hair, and during the last beating, he gagged their young child. That night, the neighbors called 911. When the police arrived, Daniel told Kristi to pretend she was asleep and threatened to kill her if she opened the door. Despite…
Jeff was referred to Legal Aid by a community partner. His Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments had been suspended for an unknown reason. While his Legal Aid attorney was investigating his SSI benefits, she learned he also had an issue with his subsidized housing. One of Legal Aid’s housing team attorneys accepted the housing case.…
Anita had worked retail and restaurant jobs her entire life. When she reached full retirement age, she began receiving her Social Security benefits. She could not live off of her retirement benefit alone, so she continued to work part-time at a local department store. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Anita’s doctor told her she should…
We all have that one friend who is ready and willing to lend a helping hand. That’s Helene. Helene is 79 years old and cares for her adult disabled son. Helene contacted Legal Aid because the Family Support Division (FSD) rejected her food stamp application due to a finding that her available resources exceeded the…
Marco is a 64-year-old grandfather, neighbor, and friend. For decades, he ran his own cleaning business. Sadly, Marco had to sell his business when he could no longer work due to congestive heart failure, heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. Without his business, Marco had no income to pay for basic expenses and the medical…
Barb contacted us via our Legal Aid CARES Hotline. The Hotline was set up in April to answer questions about CARES Act stimulus payments. Barb explained to the Legal Aid attorney that she was waiting on her stimulus check and her tax refund, neither of which she had received. Like so many workers, Barb’s hours…
Michael was living his dream working a job he loved that provided for his family — until he was in a car accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. The injury resulted in significant cognitive impairment and seizures. Because of these lasting effects, Michael lost his job. Soon after this, his wife left him and…
Beth Ann, 28, grew up in a home where being a female was of little value. Her father and brother spent years telling her she was insignificant. To keep her in her place, Beth Ann’s father would often beat her. One time he beat her in the backyard where a neighbor saw what was happening…
Arturo, who is legally blind and cannot work, struggled to get by on meager monthly payments he received under the Supplemental Aid to the Blind program. He contacted Legal Aid after receiving a notice from the Missouri Family Support Division that his Supplemental Aid to the Blind benefits were being terminated and he had been…
Although Roger served in the National Guard for five years, his service did not qualify him to receive medical care or benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Roger has ongoing mental health problems, some of which stemmed from being homeless for over 20 years. Roger was unable to obtain medical treatment because of his…
