Helping those less fortunate

PATERSON  When the Paterson Diocese was established 80 years ago by Pope Pius XI, the Diocese’s first bishop — Bishop Thomas McLaughlin — was concerned about caring for the poorest of the poor in the new Diocese. Shortly after his installation in April 1938, Paterson’s first bishop established Associated Catholic Charities. Its first cases consisted of helping 193 children and 60 families.

Eight decades later, the work of Associated Catholic Charities, now known as diocesan Catholic Charities has come a long way from those humble beginnings.

Last year, Catholic Family and Community Services (CFCS), an agency of Catholic Charities, served more than 30,000 clients. Whether they were a small child in Passaic County, an immigrant from a foreign land in Morris County or an elderly grandmother in Sussex County, CFCS continues to help the poor and underprivileged in their time of need.

“Catholic Family and Community Services provides a broad range of services to meet a variety of needs usually among the very poor and vulnerable in our communities,” said Christine Barton, executive director for CFCS.

The needy continue to turn to CFCS in ever-increasing numbers for the basic human needs such as housing, clothing, food and emergency assistance with medical and utility bills.

Fortunately, through the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, the faithful across the Diocese have helped their brothers and sisters in need, fulfilling this year’s Appeal theme, “In Giving, We Receive.”

CFCS has three divisions — the Hispanic Information Center in Passaic, Hope House in Dover and the Father English Center in Paterson. These agencies have more than 40 locations throughout Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties.

The largest number of clients served through CFCS is children with 15,000 receiving services from its day care or after school programs and helping their families through emergency services to providing early intervention to correct childhood developmental delays.

The agency also serves senior citizens. “We have day programs and special services to help seniors remain safe and healthy while living in their communities,” said Barton. “These programs provide meals, help with chores and home maintenance and transportation to medical and other essentials appointments.”

Other services include emergency support following fires or natural disasters or to prevent eviction or homelessness, by making rent and utility payments. The agencies operate three food banks in Paterson, Dover and Franklin. They also offer mental health and substance abuse counseling and special services for people with HIV/AIDS. They have special programs for veterans, to assist them in accessing services and to address and prevent homelessness.

According to CFCS, the agency uses its funds from the Bishop’s Annual Appeal as discretionary funding, to support those needs that aren’t funded through other programs. These are often unique circumstances that fill in the gap.

Barton recalls some of these special cases over the past years that were supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. “The Bishop’s Annual Appeal helped CFCS to provide a new washer and dryer to a family with an adult child who is severely disabled and requires frequent clothing changes. The family was struggling financially due to the fact that they had to wash clothes at the laundromat after their washer and dryer failed. The new washer and dryer have made such a positive impact. They are saving a lot of money, and time running back and forth to the laundromat,” said Barton.

Another case includes a teen with Type 1 diabetes, who lost her medical coverage. Funds from the Bishop’s Annual Appeal helped to pay for life-sustaining insulin until her medical coverage was restored. Other cases include helping an elderly, disabled widow in Sussex County, who feared she couldn’t pay her oil bill in the winter months and a family from upper Passaic County to pay expensive car repairs for the car used for the mother to go to work to provide for her family.

The largest percentage of Appeal funds each year is used to help Catholic Charities agencies do their essential work. CFCS is part of diocesan Catholic Charities, which also includes Straight and Narrow, whose services are aimed mostly for the rehabilitation of those addicted to drugs and alcohol. Programs at S&N include residential and outpatient counseling, medical detox, housing for persons with HIV/AIDS and community programs such as child care and a family center. Also in the diocesan Catholic Charities family is the Department for Persons with Disabilities, which provides for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in its group homes, and also has a work training center in Lake Hopatcong and offers spirituality programs at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Oak Ridge.

For donors interested in seeing the work of CFCS firsthand, the agencies invite the faithful to visit and spend time with the staff and clients.

In addition to diocesan Catholic Charities, the Appeal also supports diocesan seminarians, retired priests residing at Nazareth Village in Chester and inner-city area students attending Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese. Parish rebates will also be given to all parishes that exceed their target goal.

During weekend Masses on Oct. 14-15, the In-Pew Commitment Weekend will be held to invite parishioners to make a pledge or donation. Parishioners can give a gift through a one-time gift or by pledges paid over several months. Credit card contributions and online contributions are also accepted.

[To learn more about the Appeal, search this website or to make a pledge, visit www.2017appeal.org.