The Legal Aid Society

Steven Russell D'Arpa was a warm, giving and kind-hearted son, brother, uncle, friend and family member to all who knew and loved him. He was a talented young artist who loved nothing more than blank pieces of paper to create new art, museums and galleries to explore and learn from, and a well-oiled skateboard to cruise through the streets of NYC with his favorite tunes playing in his ears. Although at times struggling himself, he would give the shirt off his own back to those in need.

From a young age, Steven struggled with different forms of mental illness that effected his moods, behavior, perceptions of his friend’s and family’s intentions, and his willingness to consistently accept the help and treatment he needed to manage his condition.

On Thursday, February 7, 2019, Steven tragically passed away and stepped into his eternal resting home at the young age of 31.

A few years ago, with the desire to live an independent adult life, Steven requested help from The Legal Aid Society and was given a wonderful, caring attorney who not only considered him a client, but treated him as an equal individual and a friend. Through the help of this attorney, Steven was able to recover much needed funds to pay his bills, receive medical benefits and treatment, and selfless guidance along the way.  At no time did the The Legal Aid Society bill Steven for any of their services.

Want to join us in making a difference? We are raising money for The Legal Aid Society, and any size donation will help make an impact. The contributions donated will support people in need like Steven. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that meant so much to Steven.

More information about The Legal Aid Society: Founded in 1876, The Legal Aid Society is the nation's oldest and largest provider of free legal services to low-income individuals and families. The Society is a non-profit organization that operates out of a network of courthouse and neighborhood-based offices across the five boroughs of New York City for their clients in need. Their work includes direct representation as well as class action litigation where cases can have state or nationwide impact.

President Trump has officially ordered an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  Current DACA registrants whose status is expiring between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018 can renew their status once more, but only if they file by October 5, 2017.

Individuals needing renewal assistance can email us at dream@legal-aid.org.  Our legal services are  always free, but the DACA renewal fee is $495, and cannot be waived.  For low-income immigrants, paying the fee can be very difficult. Please help our clients afford to file before the October 5th deadline.  Any funds remaining after October 5th will be used to pay for psychological evaluations, physical exams, and witness fees in immigration cases involving survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and other forms of trauma.

The Legal Aid Society will continue to work closely with at-risk communities to ensure that vulnerable New Yorkers receive the essential services they need. We will tirelessly defend the rights of all those affected by the Administration’s heartless policies. Join us as we take a stand against President Trump and fight for our immigrant clients.

Our clients mean much more to us than their legal cases. Sometimes, small grants can be the difference for clients whose legal struggles take months or years and have nowhere else to turn in the interim. Recognizing the need for emergency relief assistance, the Chelsea Relief Fund (CRF) was established in 1988 by an anonymous donor with a simple yet impactful mandate: bridge the gap that the legal system puts between the well-being of clients and their legal safety and rights.

Over its 28 years in operation, the Chelsea Relief Fund has served thousands of low-income New Yorkers and their families through the administration of small emergency grants, averaging $300 but ranging from $50 to as much as $1,000. The fund has helped clients pay for one-time housing-related expenses, personal care items, emergency childcare needs, filing or application fees, and many other emergency needs. These are expenses that are largely not covered by any public benefits programs.

Because it is nimble and doesn’t require a large bureaucracy or excessive paperwork, the Chelsea Relief Fund is often the first positive responder to a family or person in need. Thus, it often is the catalyst for other charities or public assistance to match or exceed the Chelsea Relief Fund grant in order to resolve a legal problem.

For example, recently, a client in the Bronx Neighborhood Office came in for help with a disability benefits case and a housing case. After our attorneys helped him, they discovered he was sleeping on the floor in his apartment and had no furniture. The Chelsea Relief Fund provided him with the funds to purchase a mattress. 

In another example, we paid $224 to avoid the eviction of a disabled Senior Citizen woman and her three minor grandchildren as that was the balance of what was needed to end the nonpayment court case and to keep them in their long-time home.

The Chelsea Relief Fund is accepting contributions, knowing that every contribution, no matter the size, can make a world of difference.

Please consider donating to the Chelsea Relief Fund and make that difference happen today.

• Family-based applications cost $1,760, and these fees cannot be waived.
• Waivers of certain grounds of inadmissibility cost $930, and in certain circumstances these fees cannot be waived. Without the inadmissibility waivers, our clients will be denied the immigration relief they seek.
• A Petition For Review to the federal circuit courts (if a case is denied by the Board of Immigration Appeals) costs $500. Fee waiver requests are often denied.