CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
Long before floodwaters rise or wind peels back a roof, the hardest damage from a disaster can begin quietly, in missing paperwork, tangled property titles and unanswered legal questions that delay recovery for months or years.
Appalachian Research and Defense Fund (AppalReD) Legal Aid will host a free virtual “Ready and Resilient” legal clinic Tuesday, Jan. 21, from 10 to 11 a.m. to help low-income individuals and families prepare for those challenges before an emergency strikes.
The clinic, on Zoom, will open with a brief presentation on disaster readiness by Whitney Bailey, the organization’s disaster response team project director. Participants will then pair with volunteer attorneys for private, one-on-one consultations in breakout rooms.
The attorneys will provide guidance on protecting vital documents, navigating FEMA appeals and recoupment, resolving homeownership and heirs’ property issues and completing basic estate-planning tools such as powers of attorney.
“Before a storm, we run out for toilet paper, batteries and canned goods,” said Angeleigh Dorsey, executive director of AppalReD Legal Aid. “Legal preparation deserves a place on that list as well. Disasters expose legal vulnerabilities most families did not even know they had. With this virtual clinic, we are working to make disaster legal preparedness as accessible and easy as a quick trip to the Save-A-Lot for a gallon of milk or a can of green beans.”
Bailey said unresolved legal matters can slow rebuilding and complicate access to aid at precisely the moment families need help most.
“When disaster strikes, being prepared can make all the difference,” she said. “Having a clear property title, a simple will, or a Power of Attorney can help families recover faster and avoid delays after a flood or storm.”
Registration is available through AppalReD Legal Aid’s disaster hotline at 1-844-478-0099. Participants will need an internet-connected device to join the clinic.
AppalReD Legal Aid provides civil legal services to low-income individuals in Eastern and South Central Kentucky. Learn more at ardfky.org.