Southeast Kansas Help Center
|
|
 Courtesy of Laura Sikes |
In collaboration with Wesley House, Catholic Charities Southeast Kansas Emergency Services is a program that provides assistance as a means of keeping people in their homes while helping them handle their family’s daily needs. The program serves people who are the working poor, unemployed or who have been unable to work because of disability or illness, or those receiving fixed incomes or limited government assistance. The focus is on helping preventing the situation from worsening and guiding families toward goals that meet their daily needs.
Â
How We Help
Rent/Utility Assistance
Financial assistance to help pay overdue electric/gas bills or rent. Each form of assistance can be provided to an individual one time each year with the primary goal of preventing homelessness.
Â
Case Management
Emergency Services offers case management services to help individuals and families identify root problems that led them to their situation of need, addressing daily needs and providing referrals to community resources. The case manager also works with clients to set short- and long-term goals, working with them during the next months to accomplish those goals and establish life choices that make their goals possible.
Â
Prescriptions
Financial assistance to fill physician prescriptions only (no narcotics or controlled substances). The program first checks all resources that specifically provide funding for prescriptions. If all funding resources have been exhausted, financial assistance may be given.
Â
Gas Vouchers
Provided for the disabled and ill who have doctor’s appointments out of town, and for people who have just started working and need gas money to drive to work until they are paid.
Â
Parenting Classes
Catholic Charities provides free parenting classes for the Pittsburg area. These classes are based Active Parenting Now curriculum and parents of three age groups are targeted; parent of 1-4 year olds; 5-12 year olds and teens. For parents of 1-4 year olds, there are three 90-minutes classes and parents of older children receive six 90-minute classes for each age group.
These classes are offered on Wednesday evening. Seating is limited and registration is required. Please call for information on when sessions begin. All classes are offered at Wesley House, 411 East 12th Street, Pittsburg, Kansas.
These classes are made possible by a grant from the Pittsburg Area Community Foundation. Participants of parenting classes may be eligible other services.
Â
Utility Assistance
Appointments are taken by phone and help is provided based on the need and funding availability.
Â
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility is based on three criteria:
- The assistance will prevent homelessness (keep a person in their home for 30 days)
- The client submits all requested verifications
- When we create a budget we can identify where the money has gone and that it is spent appropriately (i.e. on bills, transportation, etc.)
There are no income guidelines for assistance, only the eligibility criteria. Assistance may be given once in 12 months for rent and once in 12 months for utilities, but the assistance may not occur within the same six-month period.
Â
Community Partnerships
To ensure that the needs of our community are met, Catholic Charities Emergency Services often collaborates with other agencies, including Wesley House, SRS, the Salvation Army, SEK-CAP, Smart Start, and local churches. This positive team approach to helping others also ensures an effective use of funds and resources.
