EDISON, N.J. — Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) has received nearly $108 million in federal grants, bolstering its efforts to provide free legal assistance to low-income residents, including a program helping transgender and non-binary individuals change their legal names.
The organization partnered with RWJBarnabas Health to establish the Name Change Clinic, which assists individuals in obtaining identification documents that reflect their gender identity. The clinic aims to reduce barriers in areas such as employment, housing, and public benefits.
“Some people who do not have identification documents that match their preferred names and gender identity may avoid participating in these activities of daily life for fear of being outed as transgender and exposed to discrimination,” said Richard J. Routh, chief attorney for LSNJ’s Legal Assistance to Medical Patients (LAMP) Project.
LSNJ provides free legal aid in matters related to poverty, housing, consumer rights, employment, immigration, and government benefits. The funding will support its wide-ranging legal services and ongoing initiatives across the state.
The grants reinforce LSNJ’s role as a leading provider of legal aid in New Jersey, expanding access to essential legal services for vulnerable communities.