The grants will support on-going efforts to provide emergency assistance and critical support to individuals, seniors, families, and children in need in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two agencies of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Catholic Housing and Community Services (CHCS) and Catholic Social Services (CSS), are pleased to announce that they have received a combined total of nearly $115,000 in grant allocations from The PHL COVID-19 Fund. These funds will ensure that critical resources remain available for those in our community impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
CHCS, a leading provider of senior living services throughout the region, received a grant in the amount of $40,000. Funds will be used to support the needs of older adults throughout the Greater Philadelphia area with modes of support including food and food related resources, as well as rent, mortgage, and utility bill assistance. CHCS continues to operate “grab-and-go” food distribution sites at its four senior centers for Philadelphia residents aged 60 and up. Seniors can each receive seven frozen meals per week. From March 16 – April 1, CHCS delivered nearly 1,720 meals through its centers, residences, and in-home visits.
Casa del Carmen Family Service Center, a ministry of CSS located in Philadelphia’s Hunting Park section, received a grant in the amount of $25,000. Casa del Carmen, part of the Community-Based Services Division of CSS, has assisted the Latino population of North Philadelphia for more than 60 years. The funds will be used to purchase nutritious food items for its food pantry which is experiencing an increase in demand outside of normal operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, Casa del Carmen’s food pantry provided assistance to nearly 6,800 individuals in need.
In addition, Saint John’s Hospice (SJH), a ministry of CSS, received a grant in the amount of $50,000. SJH, part of the Housing and Homeless Services Division of CSS, has provided crucial, life-sustaining services with dignity, respect and compassion to homeless men in Philadelphia for more than 55 years. The funding will help SJH meet increased costs as the number of individuals turning to SJH for support and assistance rises.
SJH’s daily lunch service has increased from serving approximately 220 individuals per day to 320. In addition, SJH’s dinner service, which takes place three nights a week, has also seen a substantial increase from 30 individuals per night to nearly 80 individuals in need of food. Wednesday, March 25th marked SJH’s biggest increase with nearly 123 individuals in need turning to SJH for dinner.
CSS and SJH are beneficiaries of the Catholic Charities Appeal (CCA), the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s single most important fundraiser. Managed by the nonprofit The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP), the appeal raises critically needed funding for programs benefiting hundreds of thousands of people through countless organizations and ministries in the Archdiocese. Those interested in supporting CSS can make a one-time gift or recurring financial contribution through a dedicated link by visiting https://www.catholiccharitiesappeal.org/donate.
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Editor’s Note: Catholic Housing and Community Services (CHCS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a leading provider of senior living services throughout the Philadelphia region. Dedicated staff are committed to providing the best quality support for seniors and their loved ones through senior programs. Programs include senior housing, senior centers, older adult care management, in-home support programs, elder care helpline, and senior clubs. To learn more about CHCS, please visit http://chcsphiladelphia.org/.
Catholic Social Services (CSS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia offers community-based and residential programs and services to support men, women and children in need as an expression of the charitable works of our local Church throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. To learn more about CSS programs that serve a wide variety of human needs, please visit http://cssphiladelphia.org/.
