Who We Are
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center provides legal representation at no-cost to low-income Veterans. CVLC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency and while we partner with many government and non-government agencies, we are a completely independent nonprofit.
As a recovery-focused organization, CVLC primarily, but not exclusively, serves clients through a Medical-Legal Partnership model in which we partner with Veterans Administration Hospitals (“the VA”) and other connected providers to provide holistic support for Veterans alongside their clinicians to secure housing and access to healthcare and income benefits.
Read more about our impact here.
Read more about our services here.
Read more about how you can support here.
CVLC Mission
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center’s mission is to empower, support, and improve the lives of Connecticut Veterans by providing free legal assistance to help them overcome legal barriers to housing, healthcare, income, and recovery.
CVLC Vision
Our vision is for all Connecticut veterans to thrive and contribute to their communities with a sense of self-worth and dignity.

"Having someone push on my behalf, someone to explain, who actually listened, was a life-changer. Help is an understatement when it comes to what CVLC did for me.
- John Rios, Navy Veteran
2024-29 Strategic Plan
Connecticut Veterans Legal Center’s Strategic Plan for 2024 – 2029 is a follow-up to the preceding strategic plan, taking into account successes, short-comings, and new challenges and opportunities. The Plan was developed in concert with Executive Director Alison Weir, CVLC’s Board of Directors, and a staff working group, collaborating over the course of more than a year.
Key to our plan development, was the support of Constance Royster, who led us in the initial stages and provided much-needed expertise. Special thank you to the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven for providing funding to underwrite this process.
statement on Racial Equity
CVLC stands in solidarity with all who are fighting for justice for Black lives and all those working to dismantle racist systems of oppression.
Whether it is supporting World War II Veterans who fought against external fascism only to return to Jim Crow or service members who received unjust administrative discharges because of racial discrimination, we cannot achieve justice for Veterans without achieving racial justice. CVLC’s focus on ensuring that all Veterans can access healthcare, housing, and income is inextricably linked to undoing deeply entrenched, systemic racism.
Together, we can make change. We are honored that fighting for justice is part of what we do every day and we urge you to support other local organizations dedicated to ending systemic racism.
We are proud to be a signatory to the Connecticut Bar Association-led Connecticut Legal Community’s Diversity & Inclusion Pledge & Plan. Learn more about our commitment and this ongoing work here.
Join our fight with a life-changing gift today
Your donation will help us serve more than 1,500 Veterans across Connecticut this year.
(top of page) John Rios, Navy Veteran and former client.
(bottom of page) Hector Alicea, Veteran and former client (left) and April Pearson, Veteran and former client (right). Photos by Desirea Stott-Rodgers Photography
Thank You to Our Program Funders and Partners
