Catholic Charities Of Buffalo

PROVIDE SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES THROUGHOUT WESTERN NEW YORK

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES (FACS) FACS REPRESENTS THE AGENCY'S LARGEST DEPARTMENT IN ITS VARIETY OF SERVICES, NUMBER OF CLIENTS ASSISTED AND BROAD GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE OF SERVICE, AS WELL AS NUMBER OF STAFF. IN FY 2020, FACS IMPACTED MORE THAN 102,000 CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. SERVICE AREAS INCLUDE COUNSELING SERVICES, SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS, PREVENTIVE SERVICES AND COURT-RELATED SERVICES.A GATHERING PLACE IS A SOCIAL ADULT DAY PROGRAM IN BUFFALO FOR FRAIL, SOCIALLY IMPAIRED OR COGNITIVELY IMPAIRED ADULTS. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTED 74 CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED IN MID-MARCH 2020 BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.COUNSELING SERVICESCOUNSELING WAS PROVIDED TO 1,619 INDIVIDUALS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OFFICES IN ALLEGANY, CATTARAUGUS, CHAUTAUQUA, GENESEE, ORLEANS AND WYOMING COUNTIES. THESE SERVICES RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY STRENGTHS AND HUMAN RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY, THE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IN SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ITS MEMBERS -- ALL WHILE FOLLOWING ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF BEST PRACTICE. FACS COUNSELING SERVICES FILL THE EVER-WIDENING GAP BETWEEN AVAILABLE SERVICES, CONSUMER NEED, AND SUPPORT REGRADLESS OF THE ABILITY TO PAY. VIDEOTHERAPY AND TELETHERAPY ARE NOW BEING OFFERED.COURT-RELATED SERVICESFOUR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF COURT RELATED SERVICE IN ERIE COUNTY, INCLUDING THERAPEUTIC SUPERVISED VISITATION, PARENT/CHILD ACCESS, MONITORED EXCHANGE AND OUR KIDS: PARENT EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM. IN FY 2020, 1,135 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WERE ASSISTED THROUGH COURT- RELATED SERVICES. MOST FAMILIES ARE REFERRED THROUGH THE COURTS. IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, SELF-REFERRALS MAY BE ACCEPTED. THE GOAL IS SAFE, CONFLICT-FREE ACCESS TO BOTH PARENTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, WITH A FOCUS ON THE SAFE REPAIR, REBUILDING OR RECONNECTION OF EACH CHILD WITH A PARENT.PREVENTIVE SERVICESFAMILY PRESERVATION AND STABILIZATION PROGRAMS AT CATHOLIC CHARITIES INCLUDE TRADITIONAL PREVENTIVE SERVICES PROGRAMS AND MULTISYSTEMIC THERAPY PROGRAMS. IN 2020, MORE THAN 1,599 CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS RECEIVED HELP THROUGH PREVENTIVE SERVICES. SERVING ERIE COUNTY ARE TRADITIONAL PREVENTIVE SERVICES AND SPECIALIZED SERVICES FOR REFUGEE FAMILIES AND FAMILIES WITH TEMPORARY KINSHIP PLACEMENTS. THE GOAL FOCUSES ON FAMILIES IN WHICH THERE HAS BEEN CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE AND CHILDREN ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR PLACEMENT OUTSIDE THE HOME. THROUGH FAMILY COUNSELING, NETWORKING AND TEAMING WITH RESOURCES, FAMILIES ARE ASSISTED TO FOCUS ON CHILD SAFETY, TIMELY CHILD PERMANENCY AND CHILD WELL-BEING. MULTISYSTEMIC THERAPY (MST) SERVES ERIE, NIAGARA, CATTARAUGUS AND ALLEGANY COUNTIES. IT'S AN INTENSIVE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY BASED TREATMENT PROGRAM FOCUSING ON THE JUVENILE OFFENDER'S WORLD FAMILY, PEERS, SCHOOL AND NEIGHBORHOOD. MST IS EVIDENCE-BASED AND HAS BEEN SHOWN IN SCIENTIFIC, GOLD-STANDARD TESTS TO BE SUPERIOR TO OTHER INTERVENTIONS FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH SEVERE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR.SPECIALIZED PROGRAMSSPECIALIZED PROGRAMS INCLUDE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT SEEK TO ADDRESS THE REQUIREMENTS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK. CHILDREN'S SERVICES - SERVING ERIE COUNTY ARE TWO PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ONE FOR YOUNG PARENTS AND THE EVIDENCE-BASED INCREDIBLE YEARS PROGRAM FOR PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. IN FY 2020, 451 CLIENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE HELPED.DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM FOR MEN - A NEW YORK MODEL FOR BATTERERS PROGRAM, THIS IS A COURT-ORDERED GROUP SESSIONS PROGRAM OFFERED ACROSS WNY. IT PROVIDES A MECHANISM FOR MALE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY IN COLLABORATION WITH POLICE, COURTS AND OTHER AGENTS OF THE COURT, AND VICTIM SERVICE PROGRAMS. A TOTAL OF 992 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE IMPACTED.WOMEN'S HEALING AND EMPOWERMENT SERVICES - AN EXPERIENCED ADVOCATE WORKS WITH EACH UNIQUE WOMAN TO GUIDE, COACH, MENTOR AND SUPPORT HER WHILE PROVIDING RESOURCES, REFERRALS, ADVOCACY, INFORMATION AND EDUCATION IN A WAY THAT IS PERSONALIZED TO EACH SITUATION. IN 2020, 181 INDIVIDUALS WERE IMPACTED.EMERGENCY RELIEF - CENTRAL INTAKE OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN BUFFALO PROVIDES FOR SHORT TERM EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE INCLUDING FOOD, PRESCRIPTIONS, CLOTHING AND INFORMATION/REFERRAL SERVICES. SIMILAR ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED IN OTHER OFFICES IN THE OTHER SEVEN COUNTIES. HOUSING SERVICES TO HELP PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, TO RELOCATE OR TO HELP WITH RENT ARREARS FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE ALSO ARE AVAILABLE, ESPECIALLY IN ERIE COUNTY. A TOTAL OF 11,619 CLIENTS WERE ASSISTED IN FY 2020. INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT - SERVING CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, A PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY AND ASSIST THE FAMILY IN AVOIDING AT-RISK PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN OR TEENS OUTSIDE THE HOME IN RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM OR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS. THIS PROGRAM IMPACTED 58 CHILDREN/TEENS IN 2020.KINSHIP CAREGIVER PROGRAM - SUPPORTS CATTARAUGUS COUNTY KINSHIP AND NON RELATIVE CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN. USING A CASE MANAGEMENT MODEL AND SUPPORT GROUPS, FAMILIES RECEIVE RESOURCES FOR FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY. A TOTAL OF 177 CLIENTS WERE IMPACTED IN 2020.WIC - IN ERIE, NIAGARA AND CHAUTAUQUA COUNTIES, SERVING WOMEN INFANTS AND CHILDREN WITH MULTIPLE SITES AND NOW ONLINE. WIC IS A FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAM PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS FOOD, NUTRITION COUNSELING AND REFERRALS FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE PREGNANT, POST-PARTUM AND BREASTFEEDING WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN UP TO AGE FIVE. IN FY 2020, MORE THAN 83,799 CHILDREN, MOTHERS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS, WERE IMPACTED.

PAYMENTS TO AFFILIATES - DIOCESE OF BUFFALO AND MONSIGNOR CARR INSTITUTE

PARISH OUTREACH AND ADVOCACYTHE DEPARTMENT ASSISTS WITH ADDRESSING THE UNMET NEEDS OF THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH LOW INCOME, ARE SHUT IN, DISABLED OR SENIORS. PROGRAMS INCLUDE FOOD PANTRIES AND OUTREACH SITES, THE DIOCESE OF BUFFALO LADIES OF CHARITY, CATHOLIC GUILD FOR THE BLIND, WYOMING COUNTY OUTREACH, CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY OUTREACH, AND TELEPHONE ASSURANCE PROGRAM FOR ERIE COUNTY. THE NINE PANTRIES ARE LOCATED IN ERIE COUNTY (FOUR IN BUFFALO, ONE EACH IN LACKAWANNA AND GETZVILLE) AND ONE EACH IN ALLEGANY COUNTY (WELLSVILLE) AND CATTARAUGUS COUNTY (FRANKLINVILLE). THEY PROVIDED EMERGENCY FOOD AND OFFERED INFORMATION AND REFERRALS TO 7,689 PEOPLE. PARISH OUTREACH IMPACTED MORE THAN 12,000 PEOPLE THROUGH LADIES OF CHARITY'S POVERTY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING GIFTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT CHRISTMAS, BASIC HOUSEHOLD GOODS FOR FAMILIES WHO NEED TO START OVER AND CLOTHING FOR THOSE IN NEED. WYOMING COUNTY OUTREACH, CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY OUTREACH AND THE TELEPHONE ASSURANCE PROGRAM PROVIDE FRIENDLY VISITS OR PHONE CALLS AS A SAFETY CHECK-IN FOR SHUT INS. CATHOLIC GUILD FOR THE BLIND ORGANIZES ACTIVITIES FOR 56 INDIVIDUALS, SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTEERS. IN-PERSON VISITATION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED SINCE MARCH 2020, THE THRIFT STORES WERE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND THE PANTRIES BEGAN TO AND CONTINUE TO SERVE ANYONE IN NEED AND OPERATE ON A CURBSIDE PICKUP BASIS.