CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO INC

The Parenting Programs of Catholic Charities provide parents with parenting education for the improvement of the family support system and the promotion of healthy childhood growth and development; some of the programs specifically target pregnant and parenting teens.  The Parenting Programs of Catholic Charities include Adolescent Pregnancy & Parenting Program, Building Strong Families, Great Start, Great Start Plus, Paloma Parenting Program, and Precious Minds, New Connections.

Catholic Charities offers specialized counseling services in San Antonio and surrounding areas, providing the support needed to assist individuals and families with ensuring their mental and emotional wellbeing. Working with clients of varied backgrounds and experience, our Catholic Counseling & Consultation Center, located in San Antonio, provides a safe and warm environment for individuals and families to embrace what is going on in their lives and develop the necessary problem solving skills to cope with seemingly overwhelming situations. To provide for those that may not live within San Antonio, the Brazos Extendidos Counseling Program is a site-based counseling program that extends our counseling services into rural areas throughout the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s 19 counties.
Providing affordable counseling services to anyone in need, the Catholic Counseling & Consultation Center, as well as the Brazos Extendidos Counseling Program, offer both individual and group counseling sessions in a number of areas, to include, but not limited to the following:
•Child-Adolescent-Adult & Family Counseling;
•Alcohol & Substance Abuse Counseling;
•Anger Management;
•Domestic Violence;
•Grief & Loss Therapy (Bereavement);
•Marriage Counseling & Reconciliation;
•Parenting & Play Therapy for Children;
•Post-Traumatic Stress Therapy (for PTSD);
•Recovery from Sexual Abuse/Sexuality Issues;
•Spiritual Direction; and
•Women’s Empowerment & Emotional Development.

Counseling services are provided to children 4 years of age and older, adolescents, adults, and families who reside within Bexar County and designated rural areas of the San Antonio Archdiocese.

The Clothes Closet & Food Pantry offers emergency food and clothing assistance for individuals and families suffering economic hardship. Food and clothing are distributed at no cost and based on the family’s size and need. Whether you are looking for clothing for an interview, a coat for yourself or your child, or food to get you through the next week before you receive your next paycheck, Catholic Charities will provide with material assistance.

The Emergency Financial Assistance program serves low-income families and individuals facing tremendous financial hardship and unforeseen crises, which jeopardize their most basic human needs. By providing emergency financial assistance and guidance toward self-sufficiency for low-income individuals and families, Emergency Financial Assistance provides relief.

*If eligible for financial assistance through this program, Catholic Charities will remit payment directly to the vendor. Financial assistance is not provided directly to clients.

Services are provided through this program for individuals and families who meet or are below the 125% poverty guideline.

The Military Family Relief Project provides veterans and their immediate family members with emergency assistance in times of crises. Since its inception in 2008, Catholic Charities has provided hundreds of service men and women, veterans and their family members with assistance to help ease the transition from military to civilian life. Whether our service men and women need financial or material assistance, counseling, financial coaching or access to additional services, the Military Family Relief Project provides the support needed help those that have dedicated their lives to serving our country.

How We Help
In an effort to improve the lives of our service members and their families, the Military Family Relief Project provides a comprehensive list of services, to include:

One-time emergency financial assistance to prevent utility disconnection;*
Food and clothing assistance;
Case management;
Counseling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI);
Referrals for job training programs and work recruitment programs; and
Referrals to additional social service agencies.
Services are provided to veteran, reserve, National Guard or active duty military service members as well as their spouses and children currently living within the family household. Spouses of deceased service members are also eligible for assistance.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a collaborative initiative between Catholic Charities, the City of San Antonio, United Way, local colleges and universities, and a number of financial institutions that work closely together to provide free income tax assistance and support to taxpayers, helping them claim federal earned income tax credit.

VITA harnesses the time and talents of dedicated volunteers to provide free income tax assistance and support to individuals and families seeking help with their tax preparation. In order to get the most out of your income tax credit, trained volunteers work directly with you to ensure that you receive what you are entitled to. The following items are needed to prepare your tax return:

Proof of Identification (i.e., Drivers License, Photo I.D. or Passport);
Original Social Security Card or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) for you, your spouse and dependents
Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
Current year’s tax package if you received one
Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099-INT) if applicable
A copy of last year’s Federal and State returns if available
Bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit
Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number (the provider’s Social Security Number or the provider’s business Employer Identification Number)
To file taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, BOTH spouses must be present to sign the required forms

To find a VITA site near you, contact the United Way Helpline by dialing 211.

Who qualifies for our program?
Individuals and families earning less than $60,000 annually during the income tax season.

Through advocacy, education and direct service, Immigration Services works toward the just and humane treatment of all immigrants by helping them to achieve the full benefits available to them under immigration law. Providing professional consultation and reduced-fee legal services, Immigration Services focuses on reuniting families by guiding immigrants through the complex legal process.

All individuals and families seeking legal services must first undergo a consultation. Through our consultation process, our staff is able to fully assess the extent of a client’s situation and provide the most Immigration Servicesappropriate options available. Options may include:

Family-based petitions;
Adjustment of status;
Consular processing;
Citizenship;
Waivers;
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); and
Court representation for Asylum and Cancellation of Removal cases.

In addition to assisting immigrants, the Immigration Services provides consultations and legal assistance to victims of crime, domestic violence and human trafficking.

Guadalupe Home is a transitional living program for homeless expectant mothers and homeless mothers with infants. During their stay at Guadalupe Home, mothers have a safe place to live and to prepare for birth, as well as have a home-like environment in which to nurture their baby. Women who come to Guadalupe Home are ready to improve their lives and the lives of their children.

Guadalupe Home provides a safe haven and support services in a home-like environment for up to 10 mothers. Each mother can have two children under the age of three years. Private rooms are available for each family. Other living areas and household chores are shared among all residents. There is no fee to the resident for services; however, they must be willing to participate in an educational/employment program or maintain employment. Residents are expected to follow house rules and abide by curfew requirements.

Who qualifies for our program?
Homeless expectant mothers or homeless mothers with up to 2 children under the age of 3 years, who are able to live harmoniously in our community and who will participate in the services offered.

San Antonio Birth Doulas provides new and expecting parents with support in the areas of pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding, newborn care and bonding in an effort to prevent infant/child abuse and neglect.
Doulas help expectant mothers and their families in a number of ways before, during and after childbirth. A doula can help expectant mothers by:

Referring compassionate and understanding doctors;
Providing information on available childbirth and parenting classes;
Working with them on their birth plan;
Being present in the early stages of labor at the hospital;
Providing emotional and physical support during labor and birth;
Showing family and/or their partner how to comfort and support them during labor;
Providing support after childbirth on how to cope with the challenges of motherhood;
Teaching them how to bond with their baby and breastfeed properly; and
Providing newborn and parenting information about infant and baby/toddler development stages.

Doula services are provided for a small fee. Reduced rates are available for income-eligible women. Pregnant teens are eligible to receive doula services at no charge.

Refugee Services provides housing, employment, language and acculturation assistance to refugees escaping war and persecution who have been resettled in the United States through the U.S. Department of State Programs. As the only refugee resettlement agency in San Antonio, Catholic Charities resettles more than 500 refugees each year in San Antonio, providing professional supportive services to help them on their path toward self-sufficiency.

The Foster Grandparent Program is a program for low-income individuals age 55 and over who thrive on direct interaction with children and believe they can make a difference in their lives. Income-eligible foster grandparents receive a modest stipend to help offset the costs of volunteering.

Who qualifies for our program?
Individuals age 55 years and over, in good health that are income-eligible*.

Project Cool is a city-wide initiative that addresses the need to provide relief from the summer heat to individuals 60 years and older and individuals with disabilities.
With a goal of providing box fans to senior citizens and disabled individuals, Project Cool aims to reduce the risk of heat-related illness and death in addition to reducing utility costs by providing an alternative to air conditioning for those who may be living on a fixed income. With multiple Project Cool sites located throughout San Antonio, including Catholic Charities’ Guadalupe Community Center and several Catholic churches throughout the city, Project Cool is able to distribute fans through these sites to those that need them most.

If you are in need of a fan, call the United Way Helpline at 211. United Way will provide a number of sites nearest to your location where you can obtain a fan.

The Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is America’s largest volunteer network for people age 55 and over. "One stop shopping" for all volunteers who want to find challenging, rewarding, and significant service opportunities, RSVP helps make volunteering a more meaningful experience by offering information, support and guidance. Offering a full range of volunteer options with thousands of local and national organizations, volunteers are able to choose how and where they want to serve, choose the amount of time they want to give and whether they want to draw on their skills or develop new ones.

Senior citizens wishing to volunteer must be age 55 or over.