AT&T Donates $10,000 to Bay Area Legal Services to Keep Families in their Homes

As the Community Braces for a Wave of Evictions, New Partnerships Offer Relief

Tampa, FL — Hundreds of members of our community are facing evictions due to job loss and are feeling the detrimental effects of COVID-19. This past week, AT&T responded quickly to this unprecedented need and extended a $10,000 contribution to Bay Area Legal Services, a local law firm providing free legal assistance to those facing evictions and other legal related difficulties due to the pandemic.  

“We are aware of the significant burden our community is facing in the wake of COVID-19 and these resources are vital to stabilizing our community.” said Andrew Hall, Regional Director, External Affairs AT&T – Florida. “Many of the issues that lead to homelessness among our low-income families can only be solved with legal assistance, a luxury many people are unable to afford. It is our hope that AT&T is making things a bit better for those who are suffering.” 

Single father, Shane Dobson, had just moved with his three kids from Ohio to Tampa when news came of the COVID-19 pandemic’s spread to the US. Shane worked as a construction estimator, and less than a month into his new job, their projects were put on hold and Shane was let go. 

Shane is not alone. Bay Area Legal Services has received a flood of callers seeking help with legal issues that were due to or exasperated by the pandemic.

Shane Dobson was one of these clients. The move had eaten up most of Shane’s savings so he reached out to his landlord to see if she would work with him. Five days later, an eviction notice was posted to their door giving Shane’s family three days to leave. Shane did a quick search for legal aid and was put in touch with Attorney Rebecca Cohn on Bay Area Legal’s housing team. “Rebecca was just fantastic,” said Shane. “She worked it out with the landlord and I couldn’t have asked for more help.” Shane’s job never came back, but with the time and resources he received after calling Bay Area Legal, he was able to find a new job and get back on his feet. “All you can hope for is that people have compassion and others in that situation are fortunate enough to find the same help I did.” 

About Bay Area Legal Services
Bay Area Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm of skilled, professional attorneys whose objective is helping the most vulnerable members of our community. Our track record of legal success is enhanced by a culture of caring for the people we serve. We protect the legal rights of children in foster care, give veterans access to mental and physical health benefits, protect seniors from scam artists and abusive family members, ensure domestic violence survivors have the legal protections they need, and much more. Our clients do not have the income to hire private attorneys. Please visit us at www.bals.org.

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T 
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. The company’s signature philanthropic initiative, AT&T Aspire, drives innovation in education to promote student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $600 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.