Catholic Charities of Sarasota and Manatee

New director feels right at home

 

Sarasota—New Director of Catholic Charities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties Jacqueline Crombie chose to work for the agency because its mission and values of helping the vulnerable and needy are close to her heart.

 

 She comes to the organization from Catholic Charities, Diocese of Charlotte in North Carolina. “My family wanted to move to Florida and I wanted to stay with Catholic Charities. So it was a perfect match,” Crombie said.

 

“I really connected with the leadership at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice,” Crombie said. “I feel at home here.”

 

Crombie is a graduate of Coker College in South Carolina and studied at the University of London where she lived for 10 years and worked in the mental health field before moving to North Carolina.

 

Crombie is in charge of all Catholic Charities programs and services in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, which include Counseling, Our Mother’s House, St. Martha’s Early Learning Center, Financial Assistance, Immigration Services, Citizenship Classes, Housing Counseling and Education, Elderly Case Management, and HIV/AIDS Ministries.

 

“The Catholic Charities programs are very strong here. They each have a real niche at serving specific populations and are well known in the community,” said Crombie. “I have discovered that the community partners think very highly of the Catholic Charities programs in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. I attribute that to the quality of the program directors.”

 

Crombie plans to build on the collaborations between Catholic Charities and area Catholic parishes, especially pertaining to the Financial Assistance Program and Counseling Services. “I know the parishes can help us reach out to those who don’t know where to go for help,” Crombie said.

 

“I also would like to expand our Counseling program to target those in the community who cannot afford to pay anything for services,” Crombie said. Through fundraising efforts, she hopes to secure monies for just such clients. Currently the program has a sliding scale fee system.

 

Crombie joined Catholic Charities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties in October and is enjoying the diversity of services provided by the agency. “It is apparent that meeting the clients’ needs is a priority.  Catholic Charities strives to find a way to help anyone who walks through the doors,” she said.

 

For more information about Catholic Charities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties, please call 941-355-4680.

 

Photo: Jacqueline Crombie.