COMPLEX SYSTEMS SHAPE DISASTER RECOVERY
Knowledge of systems drives equitable recovery

Emergency Legal Responders (ELR) works to make disaster recovery more accessible, equitable, and effective. We help communities understand and navigate recovery systems so people can access aid, protections, and opportunities that support long-term stability.

After disasters, many households and communities struggle to access recovery resources such as aid, benefits, insurance, and grants. Systems are complex, technical, and time-bound, while people are coping with displacement, income loss, health stress, and disrupted daily life. Early setbacks- missed deadlines, denials, misinformation, or gaps in documentation- compound, deepening financial strain, prolonged displacement, and losses that can shape communities for generations.

ELR addresses this by building disaster systems literacy. We lead workshops for households and grassroots organizations, provide trainings for professionals who intersect with recovery systems, and work within advocacy and response networks to improve system design and practice. Through education, collaboration, and remote response support, ELR helps communities avoid preventable harm while strengthening pathways to a more just and durable recovery.