November 19, 2019
Inaugural Lawyers Serving Veterans Day Virtual
Clinic Helps Los Angeles-Based Veterans with Legal Needs
While many
Angelinos joined veterans at public events for Veterans Day, several Los
Angeles attorneys used their talents to provide legal services to veterans virtually
in honor of the Veterans Day holiday.
"It's a privilege
to give back to those who served, says Paul Freese, a
U.S. Army Veteran and 30+ years attorney, including as a member of the American Bar Association's Veterans Legal
Services Initiative. Freese is also an advisor and key volunteer for Q.Me Place, and was one of the participants in the
inaugural event called Lawyers Serving
Veterans Day.
"Helping veterans
with their legal needs is a small way we can contribute and to help fulfill
America's promise to those who serve that we will leave no one behind."
Lawyers Serving Veterans Day was started by the Los Angeles-based
non-profit Q.Me Place, which has partnered with U.S.VETS,
a national organization providing housing, employment and mental health
services to veterans.
"Our Veterans that
are experiencing homelessness do not have the means or resources to consult
with legal aid but the Legal Clinic has been very beneficial to our clients
because we are meeting them where they are," says Kena
Liggins-Tompkins, Operations Manager at U.S.VETS - Long
Beach.
One veteran who
participated commented about the usefulness of the service.
"The service was
extremely helpful to me."
"I got answers
that I needed for decades."
Other veterans
shared that the video clinic was an asset on the road to self-advocacy and one
veteran stated that "I would recommend it to any vet in need of help."
Q.Me Place is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and an implementer
of the Q.Me Platform, a cloud-based, crowd sourced video
queuing and matching system that connects clients and professionals in
videoconferences regardless of location of either party. Using the Q.Me Platform, multiple clinics and service locations can be held simultaneously and serviced by professionals from anywhere. In addition to legal
services, the Q.Me platform is being used to deliver
tutoring and education, in the United States and internationally.
"U.S.VETS has been
a remarkable partner," says Vinod Mapranath, Founder
of Q.Me Place.
"They have been able
to quickly adopt the Q.Me technology and convert the
platform into effective service delivery."
"Not only that, they
have jumped at the opportunity to partner from the start. The concept is simple. Help the masses of underserved who don't have
access to resources. We do this by
making the most of people who want to help, but just don't have the time
because of commute, family, work, and life in general."
Different from
existing video technologies, the Q.Me Platform crowdsources
volunteers and service providers, queues them, and then matches them sequentially
in videoconferences with people who need assistance from multiple different
locations.
While the first Lawyers Serving Veterans Day was limited
to the Los Angeles area, the organizers expect the event will be held annually
and expanded to the rest of California
and beyond in subsequent years.
Q.Me Place, Inc.
Media: help@qmeplace.org
Source: Q.Me Place, Inc.