Catholic Charities fills void

Date: 02/06/2005

Edition: Wisconsin
Section: Tri-state
Page: A13
Story type: Current

Photo Caption: Mug - Joe Featherston

Photo Credit:


Catholic Charities fills void
by MARY NEVANS-PEDERSON



Catholic Charities started nearly 75 years ago. Although its focus has changed slightly, it continues to help people in need.
Diane, 55, from Dubuque, was at a loss after her husband of 33 years was killed in an accident two days after Christmas, 2002.
She had family and friends to help her endure the first devastating weeks, but two months later Diane could tell she needed more help or she might never pull out of her deep grief.
"I couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel. I had never been to a mental health counselor and knew I couldn't afford a private counselor,"
she said. "A friend told me about Catholic Charities and I made an appointment."
Diane was so distraught that a family member had to drive her to the first several sessions.
Angela Link, a licensed mental health counselor, worked with Diane for
18 months, until she felt able to cope with life on her own again. Diane paid according to a sliding fee scale.
"She showed me there was hope and I could get better. She led me through everything," Diane said.
Link's clients come to her for many reasons and most are seeking mental health counseling for the first time.
"The first time is the most difficult. It gets easier after that. Some situations are seen as socially embarrassing, so it's hard for people to take that first step to seek help," said Link, who has worked at Catholic Charities for 11 years.
"Thank God for Angie (Link) and Catholic Charities. They helped me survive my crisis," Diane said.
Counseling services account for 70 percent of Catholic Charities' work today. The agency, a private nonprofit corporation of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, offers services in such areas as adoption, foster home care, low-income housing, crisis pregnancy, disaster relief, pro-life advocacy and refugee resettlement and immigration outreach.
The agency is funded through donations, fees paid for services and by the United Way, which accounts for 12 percent of its operating budget.
United Way gave Catholic Charities $124,000 for this fiscal year.
"The United Way portion helps subsidize our local operation, especially the counseling services," said Joe Featherston, associate director. "A majority of our counseling clients are on low or fixed income and the fees they pay don't cover our costs. We don't turn anybody away because they can't pay."
Featherston cites statistics that show Catholic Charities counselors in Dubuque spend about 3,000 hours per year working with clients. Those clients are mostly between the ages of 20 and 64, referred by their priest, a friend or a family member, are married and are Catholic, although one-third of them are not Catholic. Half of the clients make less than $20,000 per year.


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