Catholic Charities of DeSoto County

Clients receive a hand up from hardships of rural living

 

Arcadia—Foreclosure, unemployment, growing credit card debt, utilities in danger of being shut off, not enough food—these are the dilemmas facing many families and individuals living in rural Florida.

 

Every day staff at Catholic Charities of DeSoto County hears these tragic stories from clients.

 

For example, Program Director Andrea Herigodt said the parents of six young boys, ages 3 through 12, recently came to the Arcadia office for assistance. After losing their residence to Hurricane Charley in 2004, the family had rebounded and purchased a home with the help of a post-disaster program.

 

“Unfortunately, the couple came to report that the husband is not able to work at his job of several years because of an injury,” Herigodt said. The husband would most likely need surgery. After conscientiously paying their mortgage for four years, the family is facing foreclosure. In addition, the family had fallen behind on their utility payments and resorted to using credit cards for living expenses.

 

A caseworker at Catholic Charities of DeSoto County reviewed the family’s income and expenses and worked out an interim budget. “We also assisted them by paying their utility bills and by contacting the lending agency for reworking the mortgage to minimize the potential loss of their home,” Herigodt said. The caseworker also referred the family to consumer counseling for ongoing help and to other resources and programs that might be available due to the father’s health issues.

 

Currently the family is still in their home and has not returned for help.

 

This year, Catholic Charities of DeSoto County provided emergency food and/or facilitated access to food stamps to over 3,000 family members. Besides offering a food pantry and clothing room, the agency helps those in crisis with payment of utilities, rent/mortgage, and prescriptions.  Collaborations with local programs such as DeSoto County Social Services, Red Cross, Salvation Army, DeSoto Health Resources, and All Faiths Food Bank serve as referral resources.

 

Catholic Charities of DeSoto County also provides an After School Tutoring Program to students who are at risk of failing in school. The goal of the program is for the children to improve their grades. The After School Tutoring Program assisted 63 students during the 2008-09 school year, 14 of whom achieved honor roll status. Eight former attendees of the program also were on the honor roll.

 

For more information about the services offered by Catholic Charities of DeSoto County, please call 863-494-1068.

 

Photo: Courtesy of Catholic Charities USA.