Larry was a 65-year old disabled, homeless Vietnam veteran.  Out of nowhere, his estranged daughter appeared and told him that they had been communicating for the past year – even though he had no recollection.  She then took him to Illinois, where she lives.

His daughter drained his bank account, which included his veteran’s pension and Social Security disability payments. She also physically abused him and was then arrested by police.

Larry was placed in a homeless shelter and that’s where Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, an IEJF grantee and member of the IL Armed Forces Legal Aid Network, came to his aid. 

Land of Lincoln helped him open a new bank account and filed paperwork with the Veterans’ Administration and Social Security Administration to route all his payments into this new account.

Thanks to the legal help he received, Larry is now safely living in an assisted living facility with a monthly income that meets his day-to-day needs.  Legal aid protects veterans’ rights – just like they fought to protect ours. 

Organized in 1972, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation serves the civil legal needs of low-income families, seniors and veterans in 65 counties in central and southern Illinois.  Last year, LOLLAF served over 12,000 clients.  A member of the IL Armed Forces Legal Aid Network, LOLLAF staffs medical legal partnerships serving veterans in Carbondale and Champaign.