How To Find Food, Housing, And More Through Catholic Charities

Then see how Catholic Charities can help, as they specialize in assisting people in similar situations.

You may have heard of Catholic Charities, but don’t exactly know what the organization does. Do you have to attend church to qualify for assistance? Does Catholic Charities offer financial assistance, or are they all about counseling? Let’s try to answer those questions now.

Catholic Charities Background

Founded in 1910, Catholic Charities aims to tackle poverty head-on. It does this via several assistance programs for people from all walks of life, including women, families, immigrants, and others. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to practice a specific religion or attend church to receive assistance from Catholic Charities, as their doors are open to all who need help.

Catholic Charities operates through over 3,000 locations, allowing them to help over 15 million people per year. Here is a closer look at some of the services this popular organization provides.

Catholic Charities Assistance Programs

Food

According to the Catholic Charities website, over 37 million people suffer from hunger, including 11 million children. To address this issue, Catholic Charities has helped feed 12 million people while adding over 450 food distribution sites to its massive network. Beyond simply feeding those in need, Catholic Charities stresses nutrition with their meals.

You can get food assistance from Catholic Charities in a variety of ways:

• Food pantries
• Food banks
• Soup kitchens
• Free hot meals
• Holiday meals
• Grocery boxes

In some cases, Catholic Charities brings groceries and prepared meals to seniors and the disabled.

Housing

Catholic Charities believes that housing is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, statistics show that 71,670 family members, 37,085 veterans, and 396,045 single individuals suffer from homelessness, and those numbers keep rising.

To fight homelessness and make housing more accessible to all, Catholic Charities offers emergency housing services. If you have been evicted, you can use these services to find shelter until you get back on your feet again.

Catholic Charities goes well beyond just shelters to fix the housing problem, though. If you work with a chapter to fix your housing situation, you will probably be assigned a case manager. They will help you move into transitional housing for the short term. Then, they will do their best to find a long-term housing option that fits your needs and budget. Depending on your location, you could even get help with your security deposit and first month’s rent.

Bills

Some Catholic Charities locations offer assistance with paying bills. You may qualify for cash assistance to cover expenses such as:

• Clothing – To purchase uniforms for your work and your children’s school.
• Rent – To pay past-due rent to avoid eviction or to cover a security deposit (as mentioned above).
• Utilities – To prevent disconnection of your electricity or water.
• Medical – Free healthcare or assistance with prescriptions.

Before you can qualify for such assistance, Catholic Charities will review your case to ensure you can become financially independent after receiving their help.