By Denise Seibert Townsend
Catholic Charities
“If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.”- St. Clement
This quote from St. Clement has resonated with me multiple times during the past several weeks. As I have reflected on this quote, I am reminded each day about how hope is an important aspect of our work at Catholic Charities.
Hope is defined as an expectation or desire that something will happen. Hope can be a key factor in helping people believe that things can improve with guidance and effort. When a person has hope, it can lead to improved mental health, increased self-esteem, continued motivation and strengthened resilience. We interact with many wonderful people each day at Catholic Charities, but the majority of people contacting our agency for support are not reaching out because everything in their lives is going well. These individuals often have a need, a challenge or a barrier that is preventing them from moving forward. Because of these challenges and barriers, many of these individuals have lost hope.
Through the services Catholic Charities offers, we walk with those we serve, supporting them through the challenges they face, giving them the tools they need to thrive and instilling hope and confidence. We witness daily that when a person begins to once again have hope for a different and often better future, it is amazing what he or she is able to accomplish.
Mark* was unemployed and finally had the opportunity to start a new job. The position required work boots, and Mark was not financially able to purchase the boots needed to start working. He connected with our Boots4Work program and obtained work boots. Mark started working; earning the income he needed to support himself. Catholic Charities continued to follow up with Mark multiple times the following year. Each time, he was happy to share that he was continuing to work in the same position and had even experienced several pay increases. Mark has motivation and increased stability in his life including hope for the future.
Beverly* wanted to make changes in her life to provide more stability for her and her children. She connected with Catholic Charities to discuss our Neighbor to Neighbor program and made the decision to participate. At the start of the program, Beverly and her children were living in a homeless shelter. With the skills gained through the Neighbor to Neighbor program, she remained focused on moving forward; including the goal of obtaining housing. She continued to work hard and sought opportunities with her employer for additional job duties. Our Catholic Charities team was thrilled when Beverly shared that she and her children were moving into their own apartment. She also reported that her work hours had increased, resulting in higher monthly income. Beverly continues to make great strides forward and shares that she now has greater hope for the future.
Through the services Catholic Charities offers, the individuals we serve experience hope so they can begin to see what is beyond their hopes.
Catholic Charities offers a variety of services including job and life skills training, mental health counseling, immigration legal services and emergency financial assistance programs. For more information, contact Catholic Charities by calling 812-423-5456 or visiting our website at www.ccevansville.org.
*Name changed for privacy.