In the last four decades, if you have ever been in need of free legal services in the Emmetsburg area, you have probably met Ella Manwarren. Until her retirement in 1996, Ella provided assistance to low-income Iowans as an advocate working with local agencies. For many of those years, Ella worked for Upper Des Moines Opportunity, the community action agency serving several counties in Northwest Iowa. She frequently referred clients to Iowa Legal Aid.

Ron Wagenaar, managing attorney of Iowa Legal Aid’s  North Central Regional Office, says, “Ella is well-known for her service and commitment to those in need throughout the Emmetsburg area. When Ella was working as a full-time advocate, several clients told me they appreciated  Ella’s help and the great job she did for them.”

We recently spoke with Ella and she took some time to reflect upon her work with Iowa Legal Aid.

Ella first became involved with legal aid in the late 1960’s as a volunteer. She worked with Jim Thomas at AWAS - the Advocator Welfare Answering Service in Waterloo, Iowa. “AWAS told people what they needed to know to address their problems with the welfare system and Social Security. I didn’t actually have a problem of my own, but many people who I worked with had problems and were referred to AWAS and legal services.  In the 1970’s, when legal services first started, they offered training for clients to become advocates for themselves.  I took part in a lot of that training and became an advocate.”

“I would say the advocacy training I received through legal services certainly changed and improved my life.  I started out as a client-eligible volunteer and went back to college after all my nine children were in school.  I  graduated from Iowa Lakes Community College and went on to graduate with a degree in social work and psychology from Buena Vista College in 1976.”
While attending school Ella began working with the Upper Des Moines Opportunity Center as an advocate. She visited people in their homes, assessing their problems and referring them to agencies that could help them. “I don’t think I would have done that if it hadn’t been for the contact and encouragement from Iowa Legal Aid.  I had nine children and the most wonderful husband.  My children were really good kids and it all worked.  They are such a blessing now, it is unbelievable.”

As an advocate, Ella helped people in Emmetsburg and the surrounding nine counties. Advocates learned how to bring people together in groups for training on their rights regarding welfare, Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. “As an example, if a couple were married, they couldn’t receive welfare. Legal services helped a family sue the state of Iowa to become eligible for welfare services, because they thought it wasn’t fair that people be penalized for being married.  They presented the case in court and won, so that rule was changed. People were able to have Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) and still be married with a family.”

Ella also remembered helping a client with his Social Security benefits. “We had a client who was diabetic and had progressed to the stage where he was going to have to be on dialysis.  The Social Security Administration was saying that he was not eligible, that he could work.  Iowa Legal Aid gave me a number to call, the number of a Congressman.  The Congressman intervened and  the client did receive his benefits.”

Sometimes Ella would intervene for a client and call Iowa Legal Aid to discuss the problem.  “Legal Aid would always help me and let me know how to proceed. Then, if it was something out of my area of expertise, they would take the case and help clients get the benefits they should have had all along.”

Ella feels that Iowa Legal Aid has always treated people with respect and compassion and clients have felt that the attorneys really care.  “What I think is great about Iowa Legal Aid is that they taught people advocacy and their rights, and they also taught people their responsibility to report things and do things by the letter of the law.”

Although Ella retired in 1996, she is a member of the Board of Directors for Iowa Legal Aid. Her reputation for legal advocacy in the Emmetsburg area continues today. She still receives calls from people who need legal assistance and have nowhere else to turn – and she still turns to Iowa Legal Aid to help them. She is a great friend and benefactor to her community and to the attorneys and staff at Iowa Legal Aid. Thank you Ella.