Linn County, the City of Cedar Rapids, and Iowa Legal Aid are holding the county’s third Expungement Clinic and Resource Fair on Saturday, February 8, 2020, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Public Library in downtown Cedar Rapids.
The purpose of the expungement clinic and resource fair is to help people overcome barriers to housing, employment, and education and to learn about the various assistance programs and resources available in the City of Cedar Rapids and throughout Linn County.
The expungement clinic is nearing capacity, but individuals interested in those services should contact Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-532-1275.
The resource fair is open to the public and will provide access to service providers from employment, housing, transportation, food, health, immigration services, and other related sectors.
“These clinics are an incredible asset to the community,” said Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker. “We are helping residents improve their own lives and remove barriers to employment. This, in turn, helps our local economy by providing employers with access to individuals who are ready and willing to work. Our goal is to help break the cycle of hardship that often follows individuals once they’ve found their way out of the criminal legal system.”
This effort is spearheaded by Supervisor Walker and stems from recommendations of the Safe, Equitable, and Thriving Communities Task Force report. Linn County’s first Expungement and Employment Barriers Resource Clinic was held in 2018. The second clinic, held in July 2019, was the largest clinic ever in the state of Iowa. More than 130 people attended the second clinic.
Due to strong participation in the first two clinics, the new strategy this year is to offer smaller clinics more often throughout the year, rather than one large clinic annually.
For more information about expungement or services provided by Iowa Legal Aid, visit the Iowa Legal Aid website or call Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-532-1275.