{"id":7263,"date":"2020-03-26T19:12:36","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T00:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slls.org\/?p=7263"},"modified":"2020-10-26T15:43:46","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T20:43:46","slug":"march-26-2020-slls-covid-19-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slls.org\/en\/march-26-2020-slls-covid-19-update\/","title":{"rendered":"March 2020 SLLS COVID-19 Update"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Just as we have during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the BP Oil Spill, the 2016 Louisiana Floods, and other crises, SLLS remains committed to meeting the challenges of COVID-19 by\"\"<\/a> fighting for the rights and protection of low-income people in our communities. Louisiana and its families have been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 29, 2020, our state has over 3,500 cases of coronavirus. Over 3 out of every 1,000 residents<\/a> <\/span>of Orleans Parish has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Outside of New York, New Orleans has the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 in the country.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>With schools closed and businesses shuttering doors, many low-income people, already struggling to make ends meet, have lost their jobs or are unable to work. During the week of March 15, 2020, over 70,000 unemployment benefits claims (compared to an average of 1,500 claims per week during normal times) were filed. Our workers, already stressed by concerns of how to keep their families healthy and safe, now have to also worry about whether they can keep a roof over their heads, whether their family will have enough food to eat, and whether they can access the civil justice system to protect them when they most need it.<\/p>\n

As we end the week, unfortunately, the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on our communities only grows. Many now consider New Orleans the coronavirus epicenter of the country. <\/a><\/span>\u00a0The death rate for coronavirus in Orleans Parish is more than double that of any other county in the United States<\/a> <\/span>– including New York. Even after the federal government issued a major disaster declaration for Louisiana, our governor warned that our hospitals are at risk of running out of capacity by the first week of April.<\/p>\n

SLLS is dedicated now, it always has been, to fighting for justice for the people we serve. Over the past two weeks, we have been working hard \u2013 albeit in different ways \u2013 to protect vulnerable people. Thanks to supporters like you, we can continue to provide high-quality legal representation, advocacy, and community education for low-income and vulnerable people in our communities throughout COVID-19 and its long-aftermath. We’ve included some highlights of this emergency response below.<\/p>\n

With the end of this disaster nowhere in sight and with the situation, laws, and policies changing daily, SLLS supporters like you play a vital role in protecting low-income people and ensuring their needs and experiences are heard and considered by policy makers. Your support provides high-quality legal representation to the most vulnerable in our communities – ensuring that they have a safe place to stay, where they can maintain social distancing, and where they know they can access the food, medical care, and other resources they need during this frightening time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>We hope you will considering joining us in this work by making a donation<\/a><\/span> or joining our team of volunteer attorneys, professionals, and law students. You can make a donation online at:\u00a0https:\/\/slls.org\/donations\/<\/a>. <\/span>We’ve included more information about volunteering below.\u00a0Thank you for joining us in the fight for fairness. Your role in it is as important now as it ever has been.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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