Equity Legal Services Inc

Equity Legal Services (ELS) is a non-profit organization committed to providing free legal assistance and free community resources to low-income individuals, underprivileged communities, and communities of color. Through advocacy work, our mission is to help empower and work alongside deliberately overlooked communities facing environmental crises and other institutional barriers. We are currently the only organization in our immediate area providing impact litigation at no cost. Impact litigation allows our organization to help provide the community with broader, long-lasting changes and allow the community/ individuals the option to request compensation for its losses from the courts. 

ELS neither takes attorneys’ fees nor requests fees from the courts that could potentially take away from what clients may receive in an award and to maintain the trust we have cultivated with the community. We are funded solely through grants and private donations. 

Our current work focuses primarily on residents located in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, and East St. Louis, Missouri, when able. Additionally, we are aware of other areas across the country facing similar challenges who have also been reaching out for help. 

These residents have borne the brunt of malfunctioning, often inoperable, sanitary sewer, potable drinking water issues, and water drainage systems resulting in stormwater and sewage overflows overtaking their homes, yards and communities making these spaces uninhabitable. These critical infrastructural deficiencies have dire consequences, affecting public health, environmental well-being, and overall quality of life. Our organization recognizes the urgent need to address these challenges and has actively engaged with the community to bring about positive change through the legal system and community advocacy.