At Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich, we are blessed to have caring employees who go above and beyond what is expected of them. Nine of these are our case workers. Throughout the Diocese, in our four offices you will find these dedicated individuals, tirelessly striving to improve the lives of people in need in their communities – putting into action our mission of “Providing Help and Creating Hope.”
Their goal is to assist clients no matter their faith, race, ethnicity, age, gender or circumstances. In other words, to help anyone in need. Our case workers continue to provide aid to our clients, despite the challenges of the last year.
In honor of Mother’s Day, we not only want to highlight some of the many successes our case workers have achieved, especially for the mothers in our communities, but also highlight the case workers themselves, to understand and appreciate what drives these special individuals to do the work that they do.
More than 70% of our clients are female. There are countless situations where mothers come into one of our offices seeking help for their families. Our case workers take the time to listen and give immediate assistance as well as evaluate what other programs are available for their long-term needs.
Yahaira from our New London Office shared a story of a mom who came to Catholic Charities in need of many baby items. The mother was pregnant and without any income. We provided her with a playpen, gift card, clothing, diapers and wipes. We also invited her to our monthly pregnancy/parenting support group. She never thought there were organizations out there that would help her. She cried tears of joy. “This really touched my heart,” Yahaira said. She understood that there is hope, after all.
Miriam from our Willimantic Office tells of a woman who came to the office asking for help with rent. She was experiencing a difficult situation, being a single mom with three children, with no means of support. Through the conversation, Miriam also learned that the woman did not have any food for her children that day. Catholic Charities gave her food and personal items so that she could make a meal for her children and assisted with rent and utilities.
In the Middletown Office, Melissa assisted a client who was living in a shelter two years ago. The client lived in an apartment in Meriden for a short time with her one-year-old son but had to move due to a domestic violence situation. Catholic Charities was able to find her an apartment in Middletown, help her with the security deposit and give her and her son some stability.
“Sometimes just listening and being compassionate helps ease some of the stressors,” Terri in our Norwich Office said.
This amazing group of women agreed that the most rewarding and at the same time challenging aspect of their job is being able to help those in need and to find other resources for them when a client has lost all hope.
All the case workers share a common trait – compassion. It is their compassion that makes them willing to patiently listen, willing to do whatever it takes to meet the client’s needs, giving them the hope and acceptance required to get them through this challenging time.
Another thing the case workers have in common is a strong sense of family. They are all looking forward to Mother’s Day whether as a mom or a daughter. This could be why they are able to connect with clients to make a difference in their lives.
If you would like to make a difference and become part of the mission of Catholic charities of Providing Help and Creating Hope, please visit our website at CCFSN.org. Thank you for your support.
By Sally Velcofsky