Senator Sue Serino Secures NYS Legislature Funding for LSHV

WHITE PLAINS, NY -- New York State Senator Sue Serino (R-District 41) secured a $35,000 grant through the New York State Legislature for Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV). LSHV is the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services to those that cannot afford an attorney in the seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley.

The $35,000 grant supports the provision of civil legal services to Dutchess and Putnam residents and veterans. Last year, LSHV handled 2,429 cases for residents of Dutchess and 323 cases for residents of Putnam. Dutchess County is home to roughly 16,430 veterans, while an estimated 435 veterans live in Putnam.

The VMFAP provides representation to veterans and their families, including those suffering from trauma, injuries, or facing denial of benefits, eviction, foreclosure or predatory consumer practices. Those who have served their country deserve equal access to justice at home. LSHV honors service members and military families by protecting their rights to the basic necessities of life as guaranteed by law. As of last year, just under 100,000 veterans lived in the Hudson Valley. In 2017, LSHV’s VMFAP attorneys handled 583 cases, impacting more than 1,000 household members. 33% of those cases were related to housing matters, 20% to income maintenance/veterans’ benefits, and 16% to domestic violence and family law.

"Our veterans have made tremendous sacrifices on behalf of our community, and our nation, and we have a duty to ensure that they have the resources they need here at home to live their lives to the fullest," Senator Serino said. "Legal Services of the Hudson Valley is a critical resource that countless local servicemen and women depend on and I am honored to have the opportunity to help them help our vets."

LSHV’s CEO, Barbara Finkelstein, said “We are so grateful to Senator Serino for securing this grant, which will enable us to provide services to our neighbors in Putnam and Dutchess County, including those who have served their country.”

About LSHV: Founded in 1967, LSHV is the only provider in the Hudson Valley of free, comprehensive, legal services in civil matters (noncriminal) for individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney when their basic human needs are at stake. This includes urgent legal needs such as: domestic violence (orders of protection, child custody, etc.), housing emergencies (eviction and foreclosure prevention), healthcare, children's law and advocacy, disability and benefits, elder law, consumer fraud and more. In pursuit of this mission, LSHV maintains a staff of 136 individuals, including 82 attorneys and 27 paralegals working across nine offices throughout our service area.

For more information about Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, to volunteer, or contribute, please visit www.lshv.org, or contact Tom Gabriel, Chief Development Officer, at 914-949-1305 ext 160.

Photo (L-R) DSC-0007: Rachel Saunders, Attorney in Charge of LSHV's Poughkeepsie Office; NYS Senator Sue Serino; LSHV’s Chief Development Officer Tom Gabriel