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CALLED TO SERVEIMPACT REPORTFISCAL YEAR 2021-2022

I don’t know if VLS could have helped any veteran more than it helped me. It’s hard for me to believe VLS's support just turned my family's life around...we felt so secure and comfortable.” VLS took a dreaded situation and made it totally bearable...I couldn’t ask for a more perfect way for my case to be handled.”I was treated with the utmost dignity and respect. I wasn’t looked down on because of my current situation.”I really appreciate VLS helping the veterans; it truly does make a huge difference in our lives.”

YEAR IN REVIEW:Highlights714U.S. MILITARY VETERANS SERVED (YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASE)27%veterans of color (only 10% of Massachusetts veterans identify as racial or ethnic minorities).114%women (only 7% of Massachusetts veterans identify as women).160%over the age of 60 (the average age of veterans living in Massachusetts is 64).156% with a service-connected physical and/or mental disability (compared to 20% of veterans nationwide).2802CASES HANDLED$100,000+in economic benefits successfully preserved or created with VLS’s support.37% family law; 21% housing; 20% military records (e.g., discharge status) or federal/state benefits.7LEGAL CLINIC SITES AT COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS3new clinic sites added: Boston VA (clinic site on the Brockton VA’s Medical Center campus), Veterans Northeast Outreach Center (Haverhill), and Volunteers of America Massachusetts (Quincy).2x:VLS’s New England Center & Home for Veterans legal clinic doubled in scale.20+EDUCATION, OUTREACH & ADVOCACY EVENTS FOR 600+ PARTICIPANTS5 continuing legal education webinars hosted for Massachusetts attorneys to learn about child support guidelines, bankruptcy prevention, and state and federal benefits for veterans.2 public comments presentations delivered to state legislators on family law bills relevant to veterans.$1.4MFUNDS RAISED THROUGH DONATIONS, GRANTS & EVENT SPONSORSHIPS$1.3 million program and operational budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 fully funded.$239,000 raised from VLS’s 2022 virtual annual event, “I Serve.”3 fee-for-service contracts renewed or secured through Supportive Service for Veterans Families program.255PRIVATE PRACTICE ATTORNEYS ENGAGED AS PRO BONO ADVOCATES25+ law firms represented in VLS’s statewide network of private practice volunteer attorneys.70 cases handled by volunteer attorneys who contributed approximately 1,000 service hours to VLS.4capacity building/volunteer recruitment events held to engage private practice attorneys.1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (2017).2. U.S. Census Bureau Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division (2016).

Serving more veterans through partnerships, pro bono & policyCollaborating for Strategic Growth714 Veterans Served on 802 Cases255 Pro Bono Attorneys from 25+ Law Firms20+ Events Held for 600+ ParticipantsKEY PROGRAM UPDATESPARTNERSHIPS & INNOVATIONThroughout fiscal year 2021-2022, VLS invested in scaling and strengthening VLS’s programming, reach, impact, and advocacy. After expanding legal clinic offerings through new partnerships with the Boston VA, Volunteers of America-Massachusetts, and the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center, VLS now conducts clinics at seven partner sites. By meeting veterans where they receive health and social services in their communities, VLS contributes to the holistic care they need to mitigate complex challenges. In addition to in-person legal clinics, VLS’s remote services model allows veterans to seek services virtually—making VLS’s services accessible in rural and isolated regions. This model has been so popular that VLS needed to develop a waiting list of veterans seeking services. VLS prioritizes veterans for virtual services where they have urgent legal needs, such as evictions.VLS routinely engages other veterans services providers (VSPs) across Massachusetts to promote the continuity of coordinated services. VLS trains VSPs to screen veterans for legal needs. Additionally, VLS partners with VA staff,who spearhead outreach efforts to historically underserved veteran communities, as well as veterans services officers, who provide support to veterans at the municipal level. With support from the Bob Woodruff Foundation, VLS launched its second medical-legal partnership with the Boston VA. The legal clinic is held on the campus of the Brockton VA Medical Center, which provides specialized care for veterans experiencing homelessness, women veterans, LGBTQ+ veterans, and veterans in need of substance use counseling or mental health support. Brockton has one of the most racially and socioeconomically diverse populations in Massachusetts, and approximately 2,400 of its residents are veterans. VLS collaborates with VA providers to help them identify veterans’ legal issues and promote productive referrals to VLS. COMMUNITY OUTREACH, EDUCATION & POLICY ADVOCACYOver the last fiscal year, VLS co-organized and presented at continuing legal education webinars on child support guidelines, bankruptcy prevention, and veterans state and federal benefits to develop the capacity of Massachusetts attorneys to provide specialized legal services to economically disadvantaged veterans. In September and November 2021, VLS leadership presented public comments at state legislative hearing committees on bills concerning family law issues that directly impact military service members, veterans, and their families. PRO BONOVolunteer attorneys enhance VLS’s service capacity and play a critical role in VLS’s strategic expansion. Volunteers serve veterans by appearing in court, providing counsel and advice, and by assisting with intakes. In the Summer of 2022, volunteer law clerks from Santander Bank assisted VLS with updating its referral and resource guide. Their support has improved VLS’s ability to refer veterans to court resources and health and social services providers that can facilitate holistic, continuous coordination of care—and better outcomes—for our veterans.VLS participating in Equal Justice Coalition’s, “Talk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid”VLS Launches Medical-Legal Partnership with the Boston VA

OFFICEVLS’s team members have worked mostly remotely since March 2020, and the organization plans to transition to a formalized hybrid working model by late 2022 upon the completion of construction at VLS’s new office space in Boston’s West End.Building internal capacity to fulfill VLS’s missionNew Staff, AmeriCorps, and Board Members10 Full- Time Staff Members14 Board Members3 Law Student Advocates5 Access to Justice FellowsKEY OPERATIONAL UPDATESBOARDIn July 2022, VLS added Jeong Park, an Army veteran and student, to the Board. He joins recent additions William Asher, a retired Partner of Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, and Elyse Marks, Vice President of Workplace Investments Innovation at Fidelity Investments. All three new members strengthen VLS’s Board with their rich diversity of skillsets and backgrounds.TEAMIn July 2022, VLS hired Noel Martin Rubio as the new Communications & Development Director, promoted Administrator Heather Rick to Business Manager & Program Data Analyst, and leveraged Northeastern University’s co-op program to back-fill Heather’s previous position. Mollie Parkinson is serving as VLS’s Eligibility & Outreach Specialist through 2022. VLS also engaged a legal AmeriCorps member, Hayden Latimer-Ireland. “Not only am I getting valuable experience in the legal field, but I am also working for a mission I whole-heartedly believe in and that is doing so much good for our community. I talk to dozens of people every day who come to VLS because they have nowhere else to go, and I see how having access to VLS’s services can change lives.”Noel Martin RubioHeather Rick, Business Manager & Program Data AnalystHayden Latimer-IrelandJeong ParkBill AsherElyse MarksMollie Parkinson, Eligibility & Outreach Specialist &Northeastern University co-op studentIn her new position, Heather supports both business management and the refinement of VLS’s data collection and analysis to promote evidence-based decision-making and provide enhanced data to stakeholders. Her work will generate actionable insights into high-priority legal needs for veterans and inform the continual fine-tuning of VLS’s service delivery model for even greater impact.

VLS and volunteer attorney Crispin Birnbaum are developing educational materials designed to help Massachusetts veterans seal their records within the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system, and to train supportive services providers on this issue. This project is supported by a grant from the Office of Economic Empowerment of the Massachusetts State Treasurer’s Office. One in three Americans has a criminal record and therefore faces barriers to health, housing, employment, higher education, and financial stability. Employment is the largest predictor of reduced recidivism. Challenges related to having a criminal record disproportionately affect people of color: in the United States, Black men are incarcerated five times as much as White men.Partnerships for EquityDiversifying the Talent PipelinePro Bono Director Angie Vargas attended two virtual on-campus interview and recruitment events at the University of Massachusetts School of Law, the only public law school in the state, with the goal of recruiting a diverse candidate pool of law student advocates and future staff attorneys. UMass Law ranks among the, “Best in the East for Black Students” by Black Students’ Guide to Law Schools and Firms. Attorney Vargas identified a candidate, Dana Green, who would go on to successfully serve as a law student advocate with VLS in the summer of 2022. Dana is a second-year law student and an Army and Navy veteran with more than two decades of military experience. He joined VLS, “to help fellow veterans overcome the civil legal obstacles in their lives.” In addition, VLS leadership attended external events and consulted with diversity experts over the past year to better attract diverse staff and Board prospects.VLS is collaborating with the Veterans Legal Clinic at Harvard Law School’s Legal Services Center, examining the circumstances of veterans receiving less than honorable discharges. Harvard, VLS, and OUTVETS released a report, covered by The Washington Post, which found that 99.8% of veterans with “bad paper” discharges were enlisted service members (not officers) and that certain sub-populations of veterans are likely disproportionately impacted. The study noted that the information provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, which spanned 30+ years, did not include important data about race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. VLS’s work on this project is ongoing. JUSTICE FOR ALL:PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIONAngie Vargas, Pro Bono DirectorDana Green, Law Student AdvocateCrispin Birnbaum, VLS Volunteer Attorney“Turned Away—How the VA Unlawfully Denies Health Care to Veterans with ‘Bad Paper’ Discharges”

“When every veteran in our communities thrives, all of our communities will be healthier and stronger.”VLS raised $1.4 million in Fiscal Year 2021-2022, up from $1.2 million year-over-year, from diverse funding sources including individual and corporate donors; foundations; and state and federal government sources. VLS aims to raise $6.7 million by the end of 2025 to sustainably develop the capacity necessary to achieve VLS’s five-year strategic plan goals.In the Fall of 2021, VLS established a reserve fund with a six-month supply of average operating costs. The reserve fund provides an internal source of financing for situations such as one-time non-budgeted expenses. It may also fund special targets of opportunity or need that advance VLS’s missionand build capacity.VLS will prioritize the recruitment of a Managing Attorney beginning in late 2022. This individual will expand VLS’s “downstream” legal services team and provide VLS with the capacity to scale advocacy efforts. By focusing attention “upstream” to positively influence policy and legal matters of importance to veterans’ well-being at the systems level, VLS aims to address the social conditions that lead veterans to require legal aid in the first place.Development HighlightsSTRONG, STABLE & RESILIENT:ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITYBy the Numbers68.4%7.5%6.3%17.8%Grants from ExistingSourcesGrants from NewSourcesIndividual GivingAnnual EventSponsorshipsFunds Raised by Source,Fiscal Year 2021-20222022 Annual EventVLS’s annual event, held virtually on June 9, 2022, was a celebration of service—from military service to volunteerism in support of Massachusetts veterans in need. U.S. Congressman and Marine Corps veteran Seth Moulton (MA-6th) honored VLS as its featured speaker. VLS raised $239,000 in annual event sponsorships and donations from individuals, family funds, and corporations.A video recording of the Annual Event and a full list of event sponsors may be viewed on VLS’s website here: https://www.veteranslegalservices.org/annual-event.Above: VLS Access to Justice Fellow Steve Parker and Senior Staff Attorney Eve Elliott speak with a veteran at the 2022 Greater Boston Stand Down, hosted for the first time since the pandemic. During the event, VLS met with 35 veterans to provide legal advice.

“My experience demonstrated exactly how VLS’s pro bono relationships with private firms can work when they work well and as planned. It is not lip service to say that it was our honor to represent VLS’s client and give back to him to show our thanks for his years of service.”Jared Spinelli,Partner at Rubin and Rudman LLP,VLS Volunteer AttorneyBUILDING FOR THE FUTURESUMMARYThrough continual refinement and growth of VLS’s programs, VLS has made significant progress in layingthe foundation for further expansion in the coming years, which will increase equitable access to specialized civil legal aid for veterans facing economic hardship and recovering from the disruptive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.NEW DONATION MATCH CHALLENGEDuring the fiscal year, VLS completed two match challenges. The donor who funded the matches, a decorated Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, has recently pledged to match up to $50,000 if VLS secures $150,000 in donations from new, non-governmental sources, with the objective of broadening VLS’s base of support to promote sustainable growth. Contact Noel Martin Rubio at noel@veteranslegalservices.org, to facilitate connections with those interested in joining in the mission. Or invest in VLS’s mission by donating today: https://www.veteranslegalservices.org/donate.By the end of Fiscal Year 2022-2023, VLS aims to achieve the following service, reach, and impact goals:Looking AheadIn 2021, VLS launched a five-year strategic plan to increase and broaden VLS’s impact throughout Massachusetts. The plan centers an incremental staged growth and development strategy through which VLS will double the number of veterans served from 700 annually to 1,400 by the end of 2025.StrategyLegal Clinics Conducted to Meet with VeteransStrategic Pillars for Strong and Sustainable Growth• New Hires on Legal Services Team• Robust Pro Bono Attorney Recruitment Across Massachusetts• Deep Collaboration with Other Veteran-Serving Organizations in Massachusetts• Raising $6.7 Million over Five Years from Diverse and Resilient Sources, Both New and Existing75900 Veterans Served Through In-Person Clinics and Virtual Services4+ Trainings Held on Veterans’ Legal Issues with Veterans Services Providers and Health Care Partner Facilities270+ Pro Bono Attorneys from 25+ Law Firms Engaged1+ High-Impact State or Federal Appellate-Level Case PursuedLearning & adapting to meet evolving challenges

ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORTERSAcknowledging the major contributors who make VLS’s mission possible”The support that you have given to VLS has helped…this veteran live a better life, and I thank you all for the support you’ve given to veterans. I salute you all.”Rosemary & Richard Allen, Bill & Diane Asher, Daniel Boyle, Brian T. & Mary V. Carty, Nicholas Crowell, Digger & Susan Donahue, Michael Douvadjian, Scott & Patricia Eston, Jacqueline Fearer, Daniel T. Flatley, Sara Gifford, Joseph & Veronika Goodwin, Richard Lucian Grande, Nicholas Hasenfus, Allan & Nancy Ryan, Massachusetts State Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment & Anonymous

TEAM.Anna Richardson, Esq.Co-Executive Director & Chief CounselSarah Roxburgh, Esq.Co-Executive Director & Chief of OperationsEve Elliott, Esq.Director of Student and Fellowship Programs &Senior Staff AttorneyAngie Vargas Martin, Esq.Pro Bono DirectorNoel Martin RubioCommunications & Development DirectorHeather RickBusiness Manager & Program Data AnalystJulie Frohlich, Esq.Senior Staff AttorneyScott Pitta, Esq.Staff AttorneyArmy VeteranMollie ParkinsonEligibility & Outreach SpecialistHayden Latimer-IrelandAmeriCorps Legal Advocates of Massachusetts MemberPamela J. Meister, Esq.Access to Justice FellowMichelle S. Wolf, Esq.Access to Justice Fellow

BOARD.Allan Ryan, Esq. (Chair)Harvard Business School PublishingMarine Corps VeteranElyse Marks (Treasurer)Fidelity InvestmentsDaniel LaPenta, Esq.Santander BankNavy VeteranJennifer GlanvilleBoston Beer Co.Alexandra Trobe, Esq.U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitAir Force VeteranWilliam B. AsherChoate, Hall & StewartFormer Army National GuardsmanMiroslav MajernikStudentArmy VeteranNicole Jackson Leslie, Esq. (Secretary)Brown Brothers HarrimanJonathan C. Hayden, Esq.Goulston & StorrsArmy VeteranJoseph Kearns Goodwin, Esq.Bank of AmericaArmy VeteranChristopher WaltonVeterans Health AdministrationNavy VeteranNicholas Hasenfus, Esq.Holland & KnightMarine Corps VeteranAneisha Worrell, Esq.Ropes & GrayJeong ParkArmy Veteran

THANK YOU.It is the mission of Veterans Legal Services to help Massachusetts veterans overcome adversity by providing free civil legal aid that honors their service, promotes well-being, and responds to their distinctive needs.Your support of VLS helps ensure that the organization has the necessary resources to continue to sustain and build capacity to serve Massachusetts veterans facing legal issues that threaten their well-being. An investment in VLS expands access and equity in the administration of justice, bolsters housing security, fortifies economic opportunity, enhances family stability, reduces stress and unpredictability, and improves physical and mental health outcomes for hundreds of veterans and their families each year. Your support helps VLS more effectively respond to the urgent needs of veterans across Massachusetts. On behalf of team VLS, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.—The VLS Board & Leadership Teamhttps://www.veteranslegalservices.org/info@veteranslegalservices.orgP.O. Box 8457, Boston, MA 02114(857) 317-4474@VetsLegal (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter)@VeteransLegalServices(LinkedIn)