Spring fund helps Catholic Charities

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Posted April 24, 2003

A drive for the Spring Annual Fund at Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Sioux City is currently underway. Funds raised are used to help individuals, couples and families receive the services they need to live a happy, healthy and productive life.

"Each year we are more and more dependent upon donors to be able to fulfill the services to our clients," said Jerry Eaton, executive director of Catholic Charities. "We have seen a steady decline in the amount of assistance that the government is willing to give."

At a time when government dollars to agencies like Catholic Charities are reduced, the need for services has been on the rise because of hard economic times, company layoffs and less people having insurance. Bad market conditions have taken a double hit for the agency with the negative impact it has created on Catholic Charities own investment income from endowments.

While some clients have insurance that can help offset the cost of services, Eaton noted there will always be individuals who do not have insurance and don't qualify for government assistance.

"They will be on our sliding fee scale," he explained. "In order to offer them services, we need to have the donor dollar. People in the Catholic community have always responded very well to us in the past and we need their help again this year."

Individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by the services of Catholic Charities are asked to make a contribution to the Spring Annual Fund.

With offices in Algona (open three days a week), Carroll, Fort Dodge, Sioux City and Storm Lake (open one day a week), the agency has touched the lives of thousands of people throughout the diocese. This year, Catholic Charities served about 6,000 people in the counseling area alone.

"In all of those locations we have therapists who are all professionally trained, all have master's degrees and they are licensed at the master's level to do therapy in the state of Iowa," said Eaton.

The agency offers counseling services for individuals, couples and families for such things as marital problems, parent-child conflicts and family problems as well as for individuals who have been abused or are abusive. The agency also provides maternity services, adoption services and Project Rachel post-abortion counseling services. In addition, Catholic Charities provides information on various social concerns to parishes throughout the diocese.

"There really isn't a parish or a part of the diocese where we aren't directly involved in something that is going on," Eaton noted.

The sliding fee scale is in place at all of the locations.

"It goes all the way down to zero dollars for someone who is an unwed parent seeking help as they go through their pregnancy so that they have a healthy child," Eaton explained. "There are 50 full steps between our lowest fee and highest fee depending on income and family size."

As a faith-based organization, Eaton pointed out that the counselors' faith is incorporated into their work.

"It has us working harder and digging deeper," he said.

Catholic Charities wishes to raise $30,000 this spring.

Some individuals may receive a postcard appeal asking them to make a donation. If persons who do not receive a donation card wish to make a contribution, they can send a check to Catholic Charities, 1601 Military Road, Sioux City, IA 51103. For more information, contact Steve Elbert at (712) 233-7513.