As many regions of the country are starting to experience winter weather, legal, aging and disability services providers can serve as a critical resource for older adults and other at-risk populations to address issues that may come up as a result of severe weather, such as loss of utility service, home damage, and insurance claims.

These resources can assist advocates in the development and promotion of services to help impacted individuals:

• Legal Aid Disaster Resource Center: This resource center has legal resources and critical information for legal aid professionals, pro bono volunteers, and the disaster survivors they assist.
• Practicing Law Institute: New Developments in Climate Disaster Response & Resilience: Pro Bono Net, Lone Star Legal Aid, and Equal Justice Works provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape after a disaster. The training is available at no cost (it just requires creating an account to access the program).
• Ready—Winter Weather: Ready provides information on preparing for and responding to winter weather and provides a social media toolkit for communications.
• NCLER: Programs to Keep Older Adults Connected to Energy and Utility Services: This training provides steps and information that can help households keep the utilities on, including in situations where there is a disconnection risk during a period of extreme temperatures.
• NCLER: Addressing Housing Issues Facing Older Adults Following a Natural Disaster: This training discusses common housing issues faced by homeowners and renters following a natural disaster, and tips for how advocates working with older adults can assist them pre-disaster.
• NCLER: Preserving Homeownership: Tangled Title & Associated Probate Issues: Tangled title or deed issues can be a barrier to accessing loans or grants for home repairs and for utility or property tax assistance programs, which may be needed after a weather incident. This training shares what advocates can do to help clients untangle and clear up title to a property.
• National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)—Disaster Relief & Consumer Protection: NCLC provides resources for consumers and advocates on mitigating the impact of disasters, covering topics like housing relief, avoiding home repair fraud, and utility issues.
• DisasterAssistance.gov: This resource provides disaster survivors with information, support, services, and a means to access and apply for disaster assistance through joint data-sharing efforts between federal, tribal, state, local, and private sector partners.