EDCAP has a statewide network of community-based organizations that provide direct consumer assistance. To speak to a Student Debt Counselor or to schedule a remote session, call our helpline at (888) 614-5004 or email edcap@cssny.org.
You can also contact one of our partner agencies below to get help in your respective community.
We have dedicated staff Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Community-Based Organizations
-
Brooklyn Legal Services
Brooklyn Legal Services has been providing free legal representation to New Yorkers for over 50 years. We have two lawyers who help student-loan borrowers. Call us if you have been sued for a student loan, cannot go back to school because you owe money, are struggling to repay your loans, or are having other student-loan problems.
Counties Served: NYC
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
City Bar Justice Center
The City Bar Justice Center’s Consumer Bankruptcy Project offers free webinars that give student loan borrowers the information and resources they need to manage their debt effectively. The project also provides one-on-one consultations to empower borrowers to take control of their finances, explore loan repayment options, and consider bankruptcy as a form of relief.
Both in person and virtual services are by appointment only
Counties Served: NYC
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Community Service Society of New York
EDCAP is a program of the Community Service Society of New York (CSS) and is funded by New York State. EDCAP was created to help New Yorkers navigate the complicated student loan repayment system and maintain their financial health. We accomplish our mission by providing direct counseling services, conducting workshops and presentations, and implementing outreach and educational campaigns on relevant student debt topics.
Counties Served: All New York Counties – Statewide
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Day Care Council of New York, Inc.
The Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY) delivers services and supports policies to strengthen early childhood education so that all children receive the highest quality care. DCCNY helps parents find child care, advocates for the early childhood sector and provides training & technical assistance to early childhood education and child care professionals.
Counties Served: NYC
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Empire Justice Center
Empire Justice Center is a statewide public interest, nonprofit law firm whose mission is to make the law work for all New Yorkers, particularly for those who need its protection the most. We use a comprehensive, 360-degree approach to justice focused on changing the systems within which low-income New Yorkers live.
Counties Served: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington and Westchester
Appointment type: Virtual
-
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc
LawNY® is a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal assistance to individuals living in our 14 county service area. Our mission is to increase access to justice through excellent legal representation, advocacy, and service. All of our services are free and confidential. All of our offices are wheelchair accessible. Interpreters are available upon request.
Counties Served: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Yates
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Nassau Suffolk Law Services
Nassau Suffolk Law Services (NSLS) is the largest provider of free civil legal assistance on Long Island. We provide free legal services to thousands of Long Islanders every year and are committed to helping people in need vindicate their rights under the law. Our Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) provides its services to any Long Islander regardless of income.
Counties Served: Nassau, Suffolk
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Neighborhood Legal Services Inc.
Neighborhood Legal Services is a not-for-profit public interest firm providing free civil legal services to primarily low-income individuals and families in Western New York. With EDCAP funding, NLS can help Western New Yorkers navigate the complicated student loan repayment system and maintain their financial health. We accomplish our mission by providing direct counseling services, conducting workshops and presentations, and implementing outreach and educational campaigns on relevant student debt topics.
Counties Served: Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
New York Legal Assistance Group
Founded in 1990, New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who access to justice.
Counties Served: NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Parachute Credit Counseling, Inc.
Parachute Credit Counseling, a non-profit, helps individuals navigate their unique financial challenges. We advocate for consumers, offering budgeting, debt repayment & credit report assistance, as well as comprehensive housing and student loan counseling – all in a judgment-free environment.
Counties Served: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
United Way of Long Island
United Way of Long Island advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all by focusing on three key building blocks: health, education, and financial stability. United Way invests in community partnerships to help our most vulnerable and at-risk residents through organizations and programs that grant equitable access to resources and services across the region.
Counties Served: Nassau, Suffolk
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual
-
Volunteer Lawyer’s Project of Central New York
The Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. (VLPCNY) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit legal aid organization that provides access to justice by engaging the legal community in volunteer service to those in need. VLPCNY staff and volunteer attorneys provide free legal information, assistance, and representation in civil legal matters to low-income people in Central New York.
Counties Served: Cayuga, Cortland, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego
Appointment type: In-person and Virtual