By: Elaine McArdle
The Veterans Center, part of the Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, is a unique program in Boston that provides a range of services to veterans and their families, including access to veteran-related benefits, health care services, and health insurance navigation. It is also a community meeting space for non-profits providing a myriad of services for veterans including workforce development, housing, and legal assistance.
At LSC, the Estate Planning Project of the Veterans Legal Clinic works with the Center in a partnership that has been fundamental to establishing community education to and for veterans in the Boston area, says Destini Agüero, LSC deputy director and director of the Estate Planning Project. The partnership was born two years ago through the leadership of Kathryn King, program director of the Veteran Outreach Center, with Assiatu Bah as its outreach coordinator. “Kathryn takes great care to schedule programming that not only meets the current interests of the veterans she serves, but also their needs,” Destini says.
The Estate Planning Project now visits the veterans at Harvard Street twice a year as part of its “Lunch and Learn” series. “For three hours, we provide estate planning education, answer questions, conduct intakes, and provide referrals,” says Destini. The first visit of each year focuses on lifetime crisis planning; that is, how to prepare for moments of incapacity. The second visit focuses on planning for the client’s passing including a thorough discussion on trusts and property distributions.
“We are grateful to have fostered this partnership and thankful to Kathryn for all she does for veterans,” Destini adds.
For more on the Veterans Center: HERE
For mroe on Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center: HERE
For more on the Estate Planning Project, part of the Veterans Legal Clinc: HERE