15PBJA23GG00149BRND

The Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal services to individuals and families who are at-risk of or experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. HAP is the only legal services organization that engages in outreach to the homeless community, meeting their legal needs where they receive shelter, meals, mail, services and support, even on Philadelphia's streets.

This request for funding will focus on individuals returning from incarceration who are at serious risk of homelessness.

HAP's H.E.L.P. (HAP Embedded Legal Professional) program is designed to enhance HAP's free legal service delivery for more challenging populations such as individuals recently incarcerated, especially those sleeping rough. Trust and reliability are critical components to successfully reaching individuals who have been recently released and the embedded HAP project is designed with these components at its core.

To that end, the same HAP legal staff members will provide legal services at the same site, on the same weekday, and at the same time, enabling HAP to establish a reliable presence conducive to developing rapport with, and the confidence of, participants in need of legal assistance. This consistent legal staff, moreover, will be uniquely positioned to identify and address patterns or trends that adversely impact clients.

In order to ensure that HAP's project focuses on those persons recently incarcerated and in need of civil legal help, HAP will partner with the JEVS Human Services Re-entry Program referred to as Looking Forward Philadelphia. In its re-entry work, JEVS provides an array of social services designed to meet the immediate and longer-term needs of individuals returning from incarceration. JEVS, moreover, is poised to begin its services before prison release, including completing comprehensive needs assessments which, among others, will identify areas of civil legal need. These areas may include accessing federal disability benefits; establishing eligibility for Veterans Administration benefits, health care, housing and supports; securing identification documents; enforcing child custody rights; and others.

To ensure project success, HAP will train JEVS staff on identifying legal needs and effectively referring individuals to HAP's program. In addition to directly addressing client legal needs, HAP will help this population understand how to successfully use available networks of supports and services, and to advocate for their legal rights.

Homeless Advocacy Project

AUTHORIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022 THE CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED AWARDS PROGRAM PROVIDES BYRNE DISCRETIONARY GRANT FUNDING TO PREVENT CRIME, IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PROVIDE VICTIM SERVICES, AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES. FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR THE PROJECTS DESIGNATED BY CONGRESS, IN THE AMOUNTS SPECIFIED IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT, AND GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING STATUTORY PURPOSES: IMPROVING THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PREVENTING OR COMBATING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, OR ASSISTING VICTIMS OF CRIME (OTHER THAN COMPENSATION). IN ACCORDANCE, FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR LUXURY ITEMS, REAL ESTATE, OR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

16.753 - Congressionally Recommended Awards

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) [DOJ - OJP]

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102 United States

Single Zip Code

BJA FY 23 Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program (O-BJA-2023-171577)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/31/24 to 08/31/25.