A victim of domestic violence, searching for a way out... A family on the brink of being evicted... A mother in need of food for her children...

These are but a few of the people who can take advantage of the information presented in a new website, www.VaLegalAid.org, being launched by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, Blue Ridge Legal Services and a group of Virginia legal aid programs.

VaLegalAid.org is an ambitious endeavor by legal aid programs throughout the state and their partners to provide accurate, up to date information on poverty law issues in an interactive and accessible format.  The intent is to help low-income people by allowing them easy access to legal information. In addition, this information will be made available to legal aid and pro bono attorneys, advocates and other providers of services to legal aid's traditional client base.

Initially, VaLegalAid.org will include information on Housing, Elder Law, Social Security and SSI, Temporary Aid to Needy Families, Food Stamps, Family Law, Consumer Law, Debtor's Rights and a catalog of public court forms that can be downloaded easily.  Other areas of law will be added in the coming months, such as Migrant and Employment issues, Health and Tax Law.  The information is in an easy to read, "Frequently Asked Questions" format in a style that is understandable by various reading levels.  The legal information is being generated by legal aid attorneys throughout the state and will be updated and checked regularly to ensure accuracy.  In addition, a complete listing of all legal aid offices and pro bono programs in Virginia will be included to assist low-income people in securing local representation.

"VaLegalAid.org promises to be an extremely useful platform upon which Virginia's legal aid programs will be able to provide easy access to important legal information for low-income Virginians and crucial referral information to human services organizations, and facilitate the sharing of expertise among our staff and pro bono attorneys across the state," says John Whitfield, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Legal Services.

In the coming year, a second component for advocates will be added to the website.  It only will be accessible to attorneys who handle legal aid and pro bono cases and will include substantive information on specific areas of poverty law.

The technology for the website was made possible through a Technology Initiative Grant by the Legal Services Corporation and was developed by probono.net.  Probono.net is a unique collaboration among various parts of the public interest legal community, organized primarily in New York City.  Continued support is being provided by probono.net for administration of the site.

For more information, please contact Sarah Jane Wyatt, Community Outreach Coordinator, Virginia Poverty Law Center, (804) 782-9430, or by email at sarahjane@vplc.org.