Tammy is a Secretary in our Public Benefit Unit. She has worked in our Houston Office for 16 years.
“I believe in the Golden Rule, treating others the way you’d want to be treated. That applies to both my fellow employees and the clients we serve. I try to lead with kindness, compassion, and empathy because you never know what someone is going through.” – Tammy Allen
Q: What makes you proud to work at Lone Star Legal Aid?
A: Being in service of the people in need is what makes me proud to work at Lone Star Legal Aid. I’m naturally someone who likes to help everyone, so I really enjoy helping out. We have a lot of different departments in the company that can assist people with their problems to the best of their ability. LSLA is an all-around entity that can assist you with whatever you need. A lot of low-income families aren’t comfortable going to other places, so if we can put ourselves in their shoes and try to understand what they’re going through, we can really help them.
Q: What inspired you to work with the Public Benefits unit?
A: I was inspired to work with the Public Benefits unit because of my mom. My mom was a long-time LSLA employee. She was with the company back when they first started as Gulf Coast Legal Foundation. Seeing how much she appreciated her job inspired me to start my own career with Lone Star Legal Aid. I’m also already familiar with many of the government benefits that a large portion of our clients use, such as food stamps and security, so I’m able to help people navigate those programs.
Q: What keeps you at Lone Star Legal Aid?
A: I’ve stayed with Lone Star Legal Aid because it’s a wonderful company to work for. This is the first company I’ve ever worked for that has retained its employees for such a long time. I’m not one to hop around a lot, so this company has been very stable for me, and I’m comfortable working here. I really enjoy the work and enjoy being able to help someone.
Q: How does your role allow you to make a difference in the lives of our clients?
A: My role allows me to be the liaison between the attorneys and clients. I’m able to not only move the client’s paperwork along but also explain it as much as possible so they can communicate with the attorneys. When we can help the clients and they’re successful in their cases, they’re very appreciative. It makes us employees really proud when we’re able to get the client’s issues resolved. We sometimes get nice comments from those clients about how we’ve helped them, which always makes us feel good.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with your colleagues?
A: I enjoy working with my colleagues because they have wonderful personalities. Our department is truly like a family. I consider them to be my family away from my real family. We care about each other and try to help each other as much as we can. We’re able to work together in a way that just gels.