(MURFREESBORO) Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee with offices at 526 Walnut Street in Murfreesboro, part of Tennessee’s largest non-profit law firm,  has launched a fundraising campaign devoted to funding re-entry services provided to residents of Middle Tennessee.

The campaign, running through the end of 2023, has a fundraising goal of $200,000.

The reentry program assists residents trying to reacclimate to society and return to the workforce after a period of incarceration. Having a criminal record can create a barrier to employment, housing, public benefits and other necessities.

Certain types of convictions can also make a person ineligible for a driver’s license, severely affecting their ability to live independently and maintain employment. Attorneys from Legal Aid Society are able to assist in areas including expungement of nonviolent convictions, reinstating driver’s licenses and obtaining certificates of employability.

Funds raised from the campaign will go toward salaries for existing staff attorneys, as well as future clinics educating members of the public about Legal Aid Society’s services.

Legal Aid Society Executive Director DarKenya W Waler said, “Reentering society after incarceration is much more difficult than many people realize, with countless legal hurdles that can make it an uphill battle to simply find a job and a place to live With this reentry-focused fundraising campaign, we’re recognizing the need to ramp up these life-changing services to members of our community. Because we realize that minority populations are disproportionately impacted by incarceration, we also view this as one piece of our racial justice and equity efforts at Legal Aid Society.”

“Ninety-five percent of currently incarcerated people will get out of prison. It is to our benefit to ensure these members of our community are successful as they reenter society,” Waller said. “We thank our committee members for the efforts they continue to make toward our 2023 campaign efforts.”

Johnson said. “During 2023, we’re proud to have also raised funds to support Legal Aid Society as it helps low-income and working families confront urgent legal problems related to unemployment, eviction, domestic violence, and money and debt crises.”

About Legal Aid Society

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands advocates for fairness and justice under the law. Legal Aid Society is funded in part by United Way. Learn more at www.las.org or by following the firm on Facebook.