Award strengthens agency's service to the homeless

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. was honored to participate in The Patterson Foundation's Recoding Organizational DNA initiative and proud to receive one of the ESO (Engaging – System-Centric– Outcomes) Awards for demonstrating a commitment to achieving the goals outlined in the Marbut 12-point plan to address homelessness in Sarasota County.

Catholic Charities received a one-time gift of $20,000 from The Patterson Foundation and plans to use the funding to transform social-service delivery within the programs and services located in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Traditionally, case managers are trained to focus on helping a client with one need, but in today's climate most clients require a system of care that can address all of their issues in an organized and efficient manner. In the recent economic recession, many clients not only lost their homes but found themselves in extreme financial difficulties that have made it hard for them to regain a decent standard of living-- even to this day.

Catholic Charities is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and National Industry Standards approved housing counseling agency with a history of providing assistance in financial literacy, budgeting, homeownership counseling, and foreclosure prevention. Case managers outside of the housing counseling program have not been trained in this area. Catholic Charities plans to cross-train all case managers to be certified counselors to meet the growing demand for services to clients who are at risk of becoming homeless.

The training will afford Catholic Charities programs and services to continue to incorporate system-centric principles. Catholic Charities will be able to integrate housing counseling that was once on the periphery into all programs and services in Sarasota and Manatee counties and into the community-wide social service network. Both Catholic Charities and the clients they serve will move from enablement to engagement and specific outcomes will be measured.

The new Catholic Charities Family Haven opened in March in North Port and serves as an emergency homeless shelter for families and children in South Sarasota County. Families in crisis are provided temporary shelter services, case management with the goal of becoming permanently housed, and long-term resources and training to solve their housing and economic needs in order to attain self-sufficiency.

Part of the gift from The Patterson Foundation also will be used to help clients maintain and/or find decent and safe housing. The direct assistance will provide clients with payments of rent, mortgage, and utilities while they participate in programs that teach them how to live independently.

The ESO Award will augment the operational capacity of Catholic Charities to address the issue of homelessness in Sarasota County. Catholic Charities sustains, stabilizes, and strengthens families and individuals in need, offering guidance as they work to find their potential for success and become more self-sufficient. Please visit www.catholiccharitiesdov.org for more information.