The Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) exists to meet the legal and advocacy needs of homeless individuals and families in Philadelphia. With a legal staff of six and a corps of 300 volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and law students, HAP engages in direct outreach to homeless individuals in need of legal services.
HAP's goals are to:
• Provide direct civil legal services to homeless families and individuals;
• Connect homeless clients with needed social services;
• Advocate for the needs of Philadelphia’s homeless population and promote positive policy changes to address those needs.
Each month, HAP conducts eight to sixteen legal clinics at shelters and soup kitchens located throughout the City. At these clinics, HAP's staff and volunteers meet and interview prospective clients, assess their legal needs, provide advice and referrals for services, and offer on-going legal representation and advocacy to those with more complex problems. HAP currently holds legal clinics at twenty homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
HAP also makes educational presentations to shelter residents and service providers to inform them of benefits and services available for homeless people, and to empower individuals to obtain benefits and services for themselves.