By Charles Ray Harris
In support of the Caritas Veterans Case Management Program, I serve as the case manager. The program, funded by the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans Assistance, provides supportive services to low-income veterans and surviving spouses, living in McLennan, Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Limestone, and Hill counties.
Being a veteran myself, I appreciate and I am honored to work for an organization that provides services to assist this special population. I served over 20 years as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. The main role of an NCO is the welfare of the soldier and his or her family.
At Caritas, I am doing the same thing I did in the Army, but now the soldier is a veteran. This is a very important program, and I am thrilled to be a part of helping and empowering veterans and their families.
The Veterans Case Management Program takes a two-step approach, focusing on basic needs leading to long-term stability. In order for a person to thrive, basic needs must be met before they are able to build stability.
Available resources include assistance with rent and mortgage, utilities, food, and other emergency services. In addition, the program helps clients gain long-term employment at a living wage. Employment services include pre-vocation training and testing, financial assistance for certification, licensing and educational materials, clothing for employment, and assistance for childcare and transportation costs.
As the case manager, I am here to ensure veterans secure the benefits rightfully earned in exchange for their service in our nation’s armed forces. To schedule an appointment, I can be reached at 254-753-4593 ext. 233, or by cell at 254-644-9391, or [email protected].
For more information on Caritas of Waco, please visit caritas-waco.org.
First Sgt. Charles Ray Harris, Jr., USA, retired, was born and raised in Waco and graduated from Jefferson Moore High School. He served over 20 years in the U.S. Army before retiring. After the military, he graduated from Tarleton State University with a bachelor’s degree in business. He also graduated from McLennan Community College with an associate’s degrees in social work, youth counseling, and mental health counseling. He has been married for 35 years and has one daughter.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
Again in 2021, the Beaumont Foundation of America has granted Caritas of Waco $50,000 to purchase fresh produce and other nutritional food items for clients needing emergency food assistance. The grant has been given to Caritas every year since 2006 and has supported efforts of the organization to provide healthier food items to people in need.
“Nourishing food is essential for families to function optimally,” said Alicia Jallah, Caritas co-executive director. “Caritas is committed to offering the highest level of nutritional food to the thousands of individuals that are struggling with food insecurity in our community. Beaumont Foundation is a strategic partner in the fight against hunger in our community. They continue to provide us with the necessary funds to purchase healthy food options for our pantry.”
In 2020 the food pantry distributed over 5.2 million pounds of food.
Caritas of Waco is a nonprofit that serves McLennan County and the surrounding area by providing individuals and families with urgent support and long-term solutions to poverty. In 2020, Caritas served over 40,680 families with emergency food assistance. For more information on Caritas of Waco or how you can support its community efforts, please visit www.caritas-waco.org or call 254-753-4593.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email Ferrell Foster at [email protected].
By Ann Owen
We are here to help.
I hope you read Alicia Jallah’s blog last week regarding the numerous services Caritas offers to the community. During this time of much need, Caritas continues to see increasing numbers of individuals and families who are experiencing hardships as never before. Whether it be food, assistance with utilities, case management services and/or assistance with enrollment in state and federal programs such as SNAP (formerly food stamps), Caritas staff are ready to help. If you have a need for which we are unable to provide assistance, we have a long list of community partners to whom we can refer clients.
Things look a little different.
As much in our community has changed due to the pandemic, so has Caritas. In March, we closed our pantry to visitors and implemented a drive-through method of food distribution. Monday through Friday, you will see long lines of cars surrounding the building as staff and volunteers load vehicles with baskets full of groceries. Our Hidden Treasures thrift stores require masks be worn by staff and customers and at times, need to ask customers to wait outside of our buildings as a precaution. If you drop off a donation of food at our downtown warehouse or clothing and merchandise at our thrift stores, you will be met by a staff member wearing a smile under that mask! Although physically things may look differently, our commitment to serving the community has not changed.
Our staff has a heart for service.
We are very proud to have staff members who are truly dedicated to serving others, with compassion and empathy for those who are in difficult situations. All departments within Caritas have an important role in ensuring our clients are treated with the utmost dignity and respect, from choosing healthy foods for our pantry, to a cheerful “Have a blessed day” to clients as vehicles are loaded, to providing a compassionate ear for those who have nowhere else to turn – our job is to assist in any way possible. Sometimes our clients simply need to know that someone cares – and at Caritas, we do.
We understand that it’s hard to ask for assistance.
Often, clients apologize or are embarrassed to ask for help. We see clients from many different seasons in life. Some come from multiple generations of poverty and yearn to become more self-sufficient. Some find themselves experiencing difficulties due to unexpected medical bills or loss of employment. Some are retired and find that their retirement income doesn’t cover the increasing costs of living longer. And this year, many are experiencing difficulties related to the pandemic – such as loss of employment, layoffs or furloughs. Whatever your situation, just know that you will be treated with the dignity and respect that every person deserves.
We could not exist without amazing community partners.
Before the pandemic, we were very fortunate to have a dedicated base of donors and volunteers who support the important services Caritas provides to the community. But oh my, have we been blessed with an amazing outpouring of love and support during this very difficult year! As with many nonprofits, when the pandemic began affecting communities in the spring, we were worried about being able to provide for our clients. It quickly became evident that those worries were unfounded. Individuals, businesses, foundations, civic organizations, churches and other faith-based organizations showered our organization with support to ensure we would be able to continue providing services to what would become an ever-increasing number of individuals and families in our community. We send a virtual hug to each and every one of you.
The struggles are far from over and the future remains uncertain, so we need your continued support – by volunteering your time to assist in the distribution line for our pantry, by donating food or hosting a food drive, or by supporting us with a monetary donation.
The word “Caritas” means “love” in Latin, and we continue to witness love and humanity as our community comes together to support those who are affected by these trying times.
Thank you all as we continue our quest to move our clients beyond hunger to hope.
Ann Owen entered the nonprofit world as a professional fundraiser in 1997 after serving numerous organizations as a volunteer. She joined the staff of Caritas in 2014 as their first Director of Development, with hopes of making an impact on those in our community who struggle in the grasps of poverty. She currently has the honor of serving as Co-Executive Director at Caritas of Waco. Ann and her husband are lifelong residents of Waco and have two adult children.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.