Navigating the U.S. health care system poses a challenge to most Americans, and Cypress attorney Elizabeth Hilbun wants to do something about it. She founded the Living Legacy Center earlier this year as an offshoot of her 24-year-old firm, The Hilbun Law Firm. The nonprofit provides online health care and financial resources for veterans, seniors and the special needs population. Future plans include the construction of a physical location with on-site aid as well as a nationwide expansion. “There are resources out there, but people don’t know how to use them or how to apply for them,” Hilbun said. “I’d have someone come to me for a will or power of attorney. Then I’d figure out they had some other social issues, so I had the moral obligation to connect them to those services.” Hilbun said the firm consistently encountered clients stuck in these situations. She also personally tackled the health care maze when searching for benefits for her husband, a Gulf War veteran. Phase 1 of the project is its interactive website that provides links and information on government aid and programs. Phase 2 is securing a physical location in Cypress to provide legal, educational and financial support free of charge to those in need. Hilbun plans to open the center Sept. 11, and hopes to raise $500,000 in the Living Legacy Center’s upcoming capital campaign. The proceeds will sustain center operations for three to five years, and fundraising efforts will continue every year to keep its doors open, she said. Phase 3 embodies Hilbun’s vision. “My dream is to set up the center and then teach other people how to set it up in their communities,” she said. In the meantime, Hilbun encourages people to visit the center’s website and call with any questions they have about specific health care processes.