The need for food, shelter and other assistance from Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, has increased – and remains strong -- as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact Northeastern Ohio and beyond.
In an effort to follow social distancing guidelines recommended by health professionals, Meghan McGuan, director of Catholic Charities Emergency Services Program, said efforts are being made to reduce the census at St. Elizabeth Center in Lorain, a shelter for homeless men. The facility has a capacity of 50, but they are keeping the census at about 30-35 to help prevent any potential spread of COVID-19.
One bright spot is the relatively mild weather this year. “We’re very grateful for that,” McGuan said.
To help reduce shelter census, she said some guests are being housed in area hotels. In other cases, Catholic Charities’ staff members are trying to reconnect some of the homeless with family members who might be able to offer them shelter – at least temporarily. Sometimes they can receive incentives like grocery store gift cards to help with the additional expenses. Staff members also are using all available resources – including FEMA funds, grants, community partnerships, private funding, corporate donors, foundation funding and the Catholic Community Foundation -- to accelerate the process of finding housing and food for those in need.
“It’s difficult to shut programs down,” said Patrick Gareau, Catholic Charities’ president and CEO. “This one – Emergency Services – keeps running and is more important now than ever.”
Gareau said instead of offering sit-down hot meals at St. Elizabeth Center and other Catholic Charities sites, guests receive bagged or boxed grab-and-go meals, sandwiches and snacks that they can eat while following social distancing guidelines.
“This way people can still get the food they need, but we minimize the risk of exposure to potential illness,” McGuan said.
“We’re seeing a big increase in people calling the food pantries,” she said, noting the unusually high number of people who suddenly became unemployed. In fact, calls for emergency assistance at the Bishop Cosgrove Center in Cleveland more than tripled in recent weeks, she said, as staff members scrambled to keep up with the demand.
Instead of guests selecting products at a food pantry, items are bagged or boxed and brought out to them. McGuan said at Food Force in Painesville, the building is locked and staff members work from the loading dock.
The health crisis also means changes in the way staff members and volunteers are deployed. McGuan said many of Catholic Charities’ most devoted volunteers are senior citizens who want to continue helping, but who have been asked to stay home. Since they’re in the high-risk category for COVID-19, McGuan said it was not in their best interest to be at the sites.
“We’re doing what we can to keep our staff and clients safe,” she said, noting that staff members have taken on many of the volunteers’ duties and things are being handled by phone as much as possible. Workers also use face gloves and face coverings or masks to help protect themselves.
People also are calling to seek emergency assistance with rent payments. Previously, McGuan said people would call after they had missed one or more rent payments and were facing eviction. “Now we’re getting proactive calls from people seeking assistance due to layoffs,” she said.
Programs for adult senior citizens are also being impacted, with adult senior centers and the senior program in Akron closed temporarily.
Even senior residential facilities are affected. Staff members are screened daily for illness, including having their temperatures taken. Other precautions are taken, as well. For example, at St. Augustine Towers and Manor in Cleveland and Emerald Village in North Olmsted, residents eat in their apartments or rooms and no longer gather for socialization events.
Other programs, like Help Me Grow -- which offers assistance to families with young children -- and counseling programs are handled by phone in order to limit exposure.
The Matt Talbot substance abuse recovery programs for men and women also continue with some modifications aimed at keeping clients and staff members safe and healthy.
“I work with dozens of people who come to work every day, work hard and do it with a smile. They come to work because they believe in the mission,” McGuan said.
“It’s amazing that these people (staff members) get up and walk out the door every day. Their families worry about them and we have so much gratitude for their dedication,” Gareau added.