Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Columbus

Seton service coordination: our service coordinators help low-income seniors live independently and remain in their homes by linking them with needed resources. Css has a service coordinator at each of the 13 diocesan-owned seton square senior hud affordable housing communities, where they assist residents. Our service coordinators provide assistance when seniors are confronted by new challenges such as medical or health issues, tax laws or benefits, or technological hurdles beyond their skill level. This intervention increases seniors' quality of life and allows them to continue living in their homes with confidence.

Poverty reduction: Catholic Social Services raises awareness of the reality of poverty in our area and builds partnerships with other organizations to provide a greater service to the community. Css hosts luncheons and meetings with stakeholders to share information on available Services, community needs, and possible collaborative efforts. Css also hosts informational sessions to motivate people to care for the poor and to invite them to get involved in opportunities to improve the community.

Senior companion program: this program addresses two specific issues within the senior population in franklin and Delaware counties: 1) loneliness and isolation and 2) underuse of resources active seniors have to give. The program engages two different populations ofseniors: homebound seniors and active, lowincome seniors. Senior companions, all of whom qualify as low-income, receive stipends and travel reimbursement to visit homebound seniors for 15+ hours a week. They provide needed socialization and nonmedical assistance so clients can remain independent in their homes. The program helps both groups stay connected and retain their independence.

1. Our lady of guadalupe center: this center works to reduce poverty through its many programs in the rapidly growing hispanic population in central Ohio. The guadalupe center has grown with the hispanic community in our region to respond to their unique challenges of immigration and poverty, including lack of access to basic needs and Social support, language and discriminatory barriers, immigration barriers, etc. The guadalupe center opened as a food pantry in 1999 on columbus' west side, near the largest concentration of vulnerable hispanics. In 2017, the guadalupe center moved into a new, larger facility and expanded our purpose: the our lady of guadalupe center is the place to be for hispanic families who want to realize their american dream. Through programs and Services, the guadalupe center provides a welcoming environment within which to build community, strengthen family, improve economic status, and promote health and well-being. Based on our new purpose, our theory of change is: - if we provide our clients with a safe, supportive environment and help them get resources to cover their basic needs, learn new skills, and access opportunities, - then they will develop an increased sense of belonging, improve their quality of life and well-being, and reach their goals for a better life. Since 2017, the guadalupe center has been on an aggressive growth trajectory. The center offers english as a second language (esl) classes, citizenship readiness classes, on-site wellness checks and referrals, a food pantry, emergency financial assistance, community and wellness events, case management, legal immigration counseling and representation, workforce development, and job referrals. These Services are provided by staff, volunteers and on-site partners.2. Payee Services: this program provides individualized financial management to seniors, court-ordered and/or formerly incarcerated individuals, and people with disabilities who are unable to manage their finances. Through this program, css helps protect people who are often financially exploited by helping them understand and meet their financial obligations. We use clients' income to pay their bills for them so their basic needs are covered, then give them the money left over to use at their discretion.3. Supportive Services: through the supportive Services program, css removes barriers for low-income seniors who need assistance to maintain their independence and remain safely in their own homes. Our licensed Social workers provide individualized care and case management to older adults and their families by helping seniors navigate their benefits, locate transportation Services, schedule medical appointments, manage finances, find appropriate housing, and more. We provide in-home care for this often homebound population, which is especially necessary in rural counties where seniors have even more barriers to accessing care.4. Foster grandparent program: foster grandparent is a dual-beneficiary program with a two-fold objective: 1) to help children be prepared for and do better in school and 2) to give low-income seniors an opportunity to supplement their incomes, combat isolation, and have a meaningful way to use their skills to contribute to the community. Through this program, low-income, active seniors tutor at-risk youth in area schools and head start programs and receive a stipend for their work.5. Transportation Services: this program provides door-to-door transportation for licking county seniors and veterans to get to non-emergency medical appointments anywhere in the state of Ohio providing clients access to healthcare to which they otherwise could not, thus improving overall health and wellbeing.6. Stay the course: launched in partnership with columbus state community college in the fall of 2019, stay the course (stc) equips low-income community college students with a comprehensive support system that helps provide a realistic path to college completion. Stc gives students facing unequal barriers to college success the supportive Services they need to earn degrees, which leads to better jobs and higher earnings, ultimately helping to break the cycle of generational poverty. Stc is an innovative, evidence-based program proven to improve college persistence and completion among low-income community college students by addressing non-academic barriers, such as housing instability and workplace or family issues. Through stc, css provides individualized case management (mentoring, coaching, referrals, etc.) And strategic emergency financial assistance. This combination has proven effective for impacting low-income students who have the work effort and will to achieve a college degree, but who start college at a disadvantage. With replication fidelity to the proven program model originally developed by Catholic Social Services fort worth, stc contributes to closing the opportunity gap. 7. Money management: through our money management program, css assists low-income seniors who have difficulty managing their finances. Social workers help clients manage their own finances by helping them prepare monthly budgets, pay their bills, deposit checks, make connections with financial and legal resources, and prepare for long-term needs so they can remain independent.