Fall 2025 Newsletter

Dear friends,

Thank you for standing with GBLS, our clients, and our community through these turbulent times.  I’m proud of the work that we are doing at GBLS to help our neighbors put food on the table, access healthcare, remain in stable housing, and follow pathways to permanent status in the United States – all in the face of increasingly difficult circumstance.  

While many of us are tuned into the 24-hour news cycle and see what’s happening in our country, not all of us are experts in poverty law and know how changes, cuts, and freezes affect our communities here in Massachusetts. GBLS staff, however, are on the front lines of fighting for our clients’ rights and making sure our community members have the resources they need to survive. Read on for current updates on our work and how we’re tackling the issues facing our clients today.

Finally, in this season of gratitude, I want to share a note from a recent client below. This kind of impact is why our attorneys, advocates, administrators, and support staff do this work. And why we appreciate your support to help make justice happen for the thousands of people GBLS serves each year.

Sincerely,

Jacqui Bowman

Executive Director

In His Own Words - A Note From a Client

Dear Jacquelynne Bowman,

I'm reaching out to you today to express my profound thanks for the support and assistance that your team at Greater Boston Legal Services has provided to me over the last many months. 

In particular, I would like to specifically applaud [my GBLS attorney] for his compassion, knowledge, and professionalism in helping me to navigate a very stressful period of legal challenges. During this time, [my attorney] has been able to offer me a true "peace of mind" that he is always on top of any case at hand and that he will do everything in his power to help me resolve them effectively. Whether he is in contact with an attorney from the other side, or dealing with the court, he always keeps me up to speed on everything that is happening and that is what makes it such an honor to work with him. 

As someone who has always had great respect for true advocates and their efforts, I feel that [my attorney] truly went above and beyond anything that I initially requested and things would be far more difficult without his assistance. 

In closing, I wanted you to personally know how truly appreciative I am and I hope that others in the community get to experience the same kind of support that I have. There is no doubt that your organization provides a valuable service and [my GBLS attorney] is a great representative of all that you do.

Sincerely,

[A former GBLS client]

Changes to Healthcare & SNAP Benefits in Real Terms

Under H.R. 1, dubbed by some as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, numerous changes to healthcare and social safety net benefits will become even harder to navigate and secure for millions of Americans. For low-income residents of Massachusetts, the results will be devastating. Some of these changes target immigrants, while others will also impact U.S. citizens. Changes to eligibility for health insurance include:

• Non-citizens with income under the federal poverty level will no longer qualify for Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTCs), which help to lower monthly premium charges.
• Elimination of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility for many lawfully present immigrants, including refugees and asylees, and survivors of trafficking or abuse.
• In 2027, Medicaid work requirements take effect, demanding 80 or more hours per month of work, school, or community service for recipients. Details on potential exemptions have not been released.
• Twice yearly redetermination of eligibility for non-disabled adults between 19-64.
• In 2028, copays and out-of-pocket fees will increase for households between 100%-138% of the federal poverty level (in other words, very low-income individuals). 

GBLS’ expert health access advocates are steeling themselves to have hard conversations with clients about the services that are available to them (or not) and researching alternative healthcare resources and options for clients. Policy changes also require advocates to do detailed screenings of clients’ needs and statuses, including working closely with immigration staff as immigration-related policies also change.  

While the government shutdown and related SNAP freeze were widely reported in the media, H.R. 1 makes permanent policy changes to the social safety net that are also very damaging. By now, November SNAP (food stamps) benefits have all been distributed, as appropriate, to recipients; however, November 1st also marked changes to eligibility for new applicants and recipients upon recertification. Individuals who lost eligibility as of this month include: 

• Refugees and asylees 
• Survivors of trafficking
• People granted withholding of deportation or removal
• Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants
• Afghan Evacuees and Ukrainians with humanitarian parole 

There are also now expanded work requirements for some SNAP recipients. Work requirements have long applied to individuals described as Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD), who have to perform at least 80 hours of work, approved training, or community service each month. Under H.R.1, the definition of ABAWD has been expanded to include (with some exceptions):

• Adults between 55-64
• Caregivers with children 14+
• Veterans
• Homeless individuals
• Former foster youth 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, approximately 99,000 SNAP recipients may be at risk of losing benefits due to these new requirements.  

GBLS’ public benefits advocates are helping clients explore their qualifications for relevant exemptions or “good cause” reasons for maintaining eligibility when they cannot meet the work requirement. Additionally, some clients will experience unexpected reductions in their SNAP benefits due to policy changes. GBLS is working hard to ensure that our clients receive the maximum benefits for which they are eligible and directing them to additional resources to help care for themselves and their families.

Pro Bono Clinics Expand Services to Community

GBLS participated in Jones Day’s second annual Start Anew Project on October 15th. A nationwide effort, each Start Anew clinic provides legal, health, finance, and career resources as well as direct access to employers for survivors of human trafficking. Advocates from GBLS’ Housing and Family units offered brief advice and eviction sealing resources, while GBLS' CORI Project teamed up with New England School of Law to provide record sealing services. Over the course of the event, GBLS staff connected with more than 60 survivors in interactions that were both emotional and uplifting. 

GBLS' New Look!

GBLS has a new logo! We are retiring our old logo, developed during our centennial year, and moving into the future with a fresh look. With input from our staff and board, GBLS' new logo is a classic round seal with a focus on our torch icon – calling to mind our role as a bearer of light and justice in our community. The new logo was designed with accessibility in mind, with text weight and shape allowing for easier readability for individuals with low vision. We hope you like our new logo as much as we do!

Old logo (left) and new logo (right)

Meet Natalia Prada, Technology Innovation & Data Manager

Natalia Prada is one of GBLS’ newest staff members, fulfilling a role developed through our recent Strategic Planning process. Natalia comes to GBLS with a tremendous amount of expertise in data and statistics, which will help us continue to enhance our services, analyze our performance, and provide insights for future growth within the organization. We checked in with Natalia to learn more about her and her work:

What is your role and work at GBLS?

Natalia Prada: I serve as the Technology Innovation & Data Manager, a new role created to understand and improve how each unit collects and uses data. I analyze collection styles, relevance, and gaps to connect the stories that reveal who we serve and how we work. My focus is improving our client database, strengthening intake and data accuracy, and building a culture where data supports daily decisions, reduces burdens, and highlights the impact of our services.

This is a new role for GBLS — how does your work fit into GBLS' strategic planning goals?

Natalia: My work supports GBLS’ strategic plan by building the systems we need to understand ourselves better. I’m creating a foundation for consistent, trustworthy information across the organization, so leadership and staff can clearly see trends, needs, and opportunities. This groundwork helps GBLS set long-term priorities, strengthen programs, and make decisions that align with our mission and future direction.

What about GBLS' work resonates with you?

Natalia: Justice, community, and meaningful action are what draw me to this work. My background taught me that many solutions begin in urgency but must also prevent future crises. I focus on making things happen and creating deeper connections, and at GBLS I see that same commitment to dignity and impact every day.

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?

Natalia: I love spending time with my family, discovering new hiking trails, and thrift shopping — I’m a treasure finder at heart. I also enjoy practicing flower arranging, even if I’m still learning as I go.

Anything else you’d like people to know?

Natalia: Change and innovation can feel uncomfortable, and technology shouldn’t become a barrier. I’m not here to add work, but to make it easier. This process will take time and will happen collaboratively. Every team within GBLS is different, and I’m committed to honoring those differences while creating tools that support everyone’s work.

Thank you, Natalia, for your insight and your commitment to justice for all. Welcome to GBLS!

Build the Future of GBLS through the Innovation Fund!

This fall, in honor of our 125th anniversary year and over a century of community impact, GBLS launched The Innovation Fund to respond to emerging issues and continue our work in strategic and creative ways. This special fundraising effort will allow GBLS to invest in exciting projects coming out of an in-depth strategic planning process that will enhance our ability to serve clients in ways that are more efficient, equitable, and impactful. The Innovation Fund will also allow GBLS to respond to crises as they emerge and refine our approaches to ongoing and systemic community issues. As we reflect upon GBLS’ tremendous legacy of legal work, we look to a future where innovative solutions will allow us to have an even greater impact in our community and beyond.

Learn more about the Innovation Fund >>

GBLS in the news

• The Boston Bar Association Journal featured an article by GBLS staff and board highlighting our 125-year history and impact.
• WGBH reported on GBLS’ lawsuit against the IRS and Social Security administration regarding the agencies’ collaboration with ICE. “We had to file this case to remind both agencies that our confidentiality laws apply to them both and that their sharing is unlawful,” a GBLS attorney says.
• Hernan Elias Escobar, husband of GBLS attorney Leslie Perera Gonzalez, who was detained by ICE in September, was released thanks to the tireless efforts of his GBLS attorneys! (WCVB)
• GBLS attorneys weigh in on the lapse in SNAP funding. (CBS News) 
• “There was never a finding of anything against her. And yet still, she’s paying for this large corporation’s attorney’s fees,” says GBLS attorney Courtney Libon, of a client who was charged thousands in eviction fees – despite never being evicted. (Mass Live)