FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 15, 2019

Contact:
Alberto Mesta, El Paso Branch Manager (915) 585-5117 or amesta@trla.org
Nancy Nusser, Communications Director (512) 374-2764 or (410) 934-9588; nnusser@trla.org

EL PASO, Texas (Aug. 15, 2019) – Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) attorneys are available to provide free civil legal services to low-income survivors of the El Paso mass shooting and relatives of survivors and the deceased. Those who need TRLA services can call our disaster hotline (866) 757-1570 or come in person to the El Paso office (1331 Texas Ave., El Paso, 79901) Mon.-Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm.

TRLA can help with many needs of survivors and their families:

• Establishing heirs and estates of the deceased in order to access benefits and bank accounts;

• Applying for survivor or disability benefits with the Social Security Administration;

• Assisting with applications for unemployment benefits and appealing denials of those benefits;

• Negotiating with mortgage companies and landlords requesting payments;

• Assisting with the prevention of repossession of vehicles;

• Assisting with applications for Crime Victims’ Compensation benefits and appealing denials of those benefits;

• Resolving problems with the enrollment of children in school because of changes in household composition.

Those who are not eligible for assistance from TRLA will be referred to private attorneys who have agreed to provide assistance without charge. For more information about TRLA services, please go to our website.

Attorneys wishing to assist survivors and relatives are invited to attend a training organized by TRLA and the El Paso Bar Association, scheduled for Aug. 22, 2019 from 12-5 pm at the Ceremonial Courtroom, 12th Floor of the El Paso County Courthouse. The training is approved for 4.5 hours of MCLE, including 0.5 hours of Ethics by the State Bar of Texas.

Established in 1970, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. (TRLA) is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to about 23,000 low-income Texans in 68 counties. TRLA’s mission is to promote the dignity, self-sufficiency, safety and access to justice for low-income Texans by providing high-quality legal assistance and related educational services.