Protects the constitutional rights of the people through advocacy and involvement in the legislative process and educates the community about civil liberties issues.

A national organization that serves as a liaison between the patient and their insurer, employer and/or creditors to resolve insurance, job discrimination and/or debt crisis matters relative to their diagnosis. Seeks to safeguard patients through mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of financial stability. Provides legal consultation and referral services for patients facing denial of insurance coverage, employment discrimination and need for negotiating support with public assistance programs. In situations of health crisis, care workers offer free help in resolving issues. Website offers online request-for-help capability and has a directory of prescription drug patient assistance programs that offer medicines free of charge to physicians whose patients might not otherwise have access to necessary medicine.

Provides an on-site emergency food pantry for residents of specific streets in the City of Lockport (call for details) and information on meal planning and budgeting. Provides rent, mortgage, and utility payment assistance to low income individuals and families when funds are available; funds are currently unavailable. Fair Housing Advocacy Program assists individuals who feel they are victims of discrimination when purchasing or renting a home. Provides information, assessment, and referral to the appropriate federal, state, or local human rights agency or court. Provides housing location services and landlord/tenant advocacy. Individual advocacy, information and referral, application assistance, asset management, and budget counseling are also available.

Provides on-site emergency food pantry for residents of specific streets in Niagara Falls (call for details) and information on meal planning and budgeting. Also distributes food donations (separate from pantry services) three days per week; first come, first served. Items and quantities vary each week according to donations received, and are given out until they're gone. Provides back rent, mortgage, and utility payment assistance to low income residents of Niagara Falls when funds are available; funds are currently unavailable. Fair Housing Advocacy Program assists individuals who feel they are victims of discrimination when purchasing or renting a home. Provides information, assessment, and referral to the appropriate federal, state, or local human rights agency or court. Housing location services and landlord/tenant advocacy also provided. Individual advocacy, information and referral, application assistance, case management, asset management, and budget counseling available.

Provides free civil legal services for individuals who are HIV positive or who have an HIV positive family member, including but not limited to: end of life planning, care and custody planning, unemployment, social security, public benefits, child support, custody, visitation, family offenses, divorce, discrimination, bankruptcy, housing problems, and name change.

A nonprofit law firm that provides free legal aid, including legal representation, advocacy, and other services, to low-income people in 14 counties of Western New York. Provides help with problems such as housing/homelessness, evictions, foreclosure, domestic violence, unemployment insurance denials, re-entry, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) denials, and other legal problems. The Jamestown Office of LawNY helps qualified clients in Chautauqua County. ##REENTRY##

A not-for-profit public interest firm providing free legal services to low-income individuals and families in Western New York. NLS aims to create the greatest access to the justice system for low-income individuals and those living with disabilities to pursue goals that will increase both the stability and the quality of their lives. Provides civil legal services in the following areas: - Housing (evictions, unsafe conditions, housing choice vouchers, discrimination, landlord/tenant concerns) - Family (DV, family offense petitions, custody, visitation, divorce, child and spousal support, paternity) - Public Benefits (temporary assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, utility shutoffs, emergency assistance, fair hearings, overpayments) - Medical-Legal Partnership (temporary assistance, SNAP, wills, SSI, Veteran services) - Disability (health insurance coverage issues, denial of services and equipment, SSI, SSDI, benefits advisement, overpayments, Medicaid/Medicare) - Student Loan/Debt Counseling - Health Insurance Navigators (New York State of Health) ##RENTRY##

Provides on-site emergency food pantry for residents of specific streets in the City of North Tonawanda (call for details) and information on meal planning and budgeting. Provides rent, mortgage, and utility payment assistance to low income individuals and families when funds are available; funds are currently unavailable. Fair Housing Advocacy Program assists individuals who feel they are victims of discrimination when purchasing or renting a home. Offers information, assessment, and referral to the appropriate federal, state, or local human rights agency or court. Provides housing location services and landlord/tenant advocacy. Individual advocacy, information and referral, application assistance, asset management, and budget counseling are also available.

Office investigates harassment complaints and monitors equal employment and affirmative action policy and procedures. It also audits county contracts to maintain participation goals for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBE), certifies businesses as women or minority owned, and monitors the county's personnel and hiring procedures to assure compliance with the County's affirmative action plan.

Provides counseling and education for those looking to become first time home buyers. Also provides financial capability counseling, mortgage assistance and foreclosure prevention, and fair housing counseling and education. Programs serve as a source of information about ownership, predatory lending, mortgage foreclosure prevention, fair housing, budgeting, handling debt, and credit repair. Provides rental search assistance and limited financial assistance when funding is available (for financial assistance, see separate program listing on FEMA Assistance - Buffalo Urban League).

A nonprofit law firm that provides free legal aid, including legal representation, advocacy, and other services, to low-income people in 14 counties of Western New York. Provides help with problems relating to housing/homelessness, evictions, foreclosure, domestic violence, orders of protection, family law issues (with referral from the family court), re-entry, unemployment insurance denials, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) denials, government benefits, public assistance, SNAP, and other legal problems. Can also provide community legal education presentations on the topics described above. The Olean Office of LawNY helps qualified clients in Cattaraugus County. ##REENTRY##

A not-for-profit public interest firm providing free legal services to low-income individuals and families in Western New York. NLS aims to create the greatest access to the justice system for low-income individuals and those living with disabilities to pursue goals that will increase both the stability and the quality of their lives. Offers services in the following areas: - Housing (evictions, unsafe conditions, housing choice vouchers, discrimination, landlord/tenant concerns) - Family (DV, family offense petitions, custody, visitation, divorce, child and spousal support, paternity) - Public Benefits (temporary assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, utility shutoffs, emergency assistance, fair hearings, overpayments) - Medical-Legal Partnership (temporary assistance, SNAP, wills, SSI, Veteran services) - Disability (health insurance coverage issues, denial of services and equipment, SSI, SSDI, benefits advisement, overpayments, Medicaid/Medicare) - Student Loan/Debt Counseling - Health Insurance Navigators (New York State of Health) ##RENTRY##

WNYCOSH provides occupational safety & health training and technical assistance for employers, unions, and community groups throughout WNY on over 80 topics.

Provides information and assistance around workers' rights education, health and safety training, and worker advocacy.

* Provides investigation and mediation services for those who feel they have been discriminated on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, physical disability, visual disability, psychiatric mental disability, marital status, source of income, age, sex, transgender status, arrest or conviction, family status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, sexual preference, military status, domestic violence victims, and sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination.* Provides enforcement of State and Federal laws against discrimination.

* Investigates alleged discrimination in employment, education, housing, religion and public accommodations.* Provides referrals for free legal service provided part-time for housing, food stamps, social services issues only.* Designs and presents public education programs.

* Provides legal services and counseling for civil matters to low-income people. Legal education and information. Health care advocacy. Elder Law advocacy. SSI disability advocacy. Domestic violence/victims of a crime. Medicare and Medicaid legal problems and denials. Fair housing enforcement/ housing discrimination and education. Public benefits such as SNAP. * Provides legal information to people who are homeless, at risk of losing their housing, or have a public benefits termination or denial; this includes: Evictions. Foreclosures. * Provides information for referrals for civil legal needs that are not listed. Resources can oftentimes link people with a source of assistance.

Provides informational assistance and enforcement of State and Federal discrimination laws. Receives, investigates, and files complaints of discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, military status, age, marital status, disability, prior arrest or conviction record and predisposing genetic characteristics.