LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Kentucky Equal Justice Center has been around for nearly five decades. The center advocates for the state's most underserved communities and it's just announced that it's suspending operations beginning Friday. Its senior general counsel, Jackson Cooper, says several factors led to the decision, including the federal funding freeze -- but he says that's not the sole reason.
Cooper says, "The reality is that like many non-profits around the country frankly we were running a tight ship here, with very thin margins and our financial situation is always reliant on donors and grants."
The KEJC is an unrestricted non-profit law firm. That means they aren't restricted in who they can work with. They've helped people with health care access, housing, wages, education, and more. Cooper says without access to equal representation vulnerable communities could suffer more.
Cooper explains, "People who are more powerful and people who have positions of power and that the law is written to favor can do whatever they want. That leads to increases in homelessness when it comes to housing and eviction cases, it increases hunger in terms of food and benefits, and we know those programs are under attack."
KEJC’s executive director, Shay Hutchinson, is continuing to fundraise. Cooper says, "She's trying to activate the people who care about helping, and she's reaching out to all of those people."
Cooper believes this is a difficult time for people who want to help others.
He says, "You know, I just hope that anyone out there that's concerned about what's happening will do whatever they can. If they have money to give, give money. If they have time to give, give time. If it's just amplifying those messages coming from all these organizations who are needing help, then do that. You know, we hope to find a way forward here at KEJC but more importantly we want the work to continue."
The Kentucky Equal Justice Center says that there are additional resources around the state that are available. The KEJC says they will post a list of those organizations soon.
