The Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) is a non-profit, public interest organization whose mission is to provide free legal services to homeless individuals and families and non-profit groups developing affordable housing and services for homeless Philadelphians.

HAP collaborates with shelter providers, homeless advocates, social and medical service providers and the public and private legal community to provide homeless clients with legal representation and to connect them with other social services.

HAP recruits volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and law students to go directly to shelters and soup kitchen throughout the city to meet with homeless clients at HAP's legal clinics.

There are many opportunities for lawyers, paralegals, law students and others with a variety of legal backgrounds to assist HAP. You can:

• Volunteer for the Children and Families Project and assist parents with education, family law and disability matters.
• Volunteer for the Veterans Project and help homeless veterans obtain needed disability benefits, and assist with matters involving credit or debt, and family law.
• Be a Legal Clinic volunteer. Spend a few hours meeting with a client and assist that client with his or her legal problem.
• Volunteer with the SSI/SSDI Outreach and Representation (SOAR) Project to help the homeless secure benefits that will enable them to afford housing.

For more information on becoming a volunteer, or to find out when HAP will host its next volunteer orientation session, please contact HAP Managing Attorney, Michele Levy at mlevy@haplegal.org.