Funds from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust are already changing lives for Joining Hearts and Head Start clients and residents in affordable housing communities developed by Housing for Hope, an affiliate of Catholic Charities.
In July 2023, Catholic Charities received a $100,000 grant from Piper Trust to assist with the homelessness crisis in the Phoenix area. A portion of this funding was allocated toward providing temporary rental assistance to fill gaps in income and prevent eviction of those in Refugee Resettlement, early education, family preservation programs, and other family support programs.
Joining Hearts Helps New Mother with Rent and Supplies
Something as simple as taking time off work for the birth of a child can put an individual or family at risk of eviction. This was the case for Caroline*, who contacted Joining Hearts. Joining Hearts helps women and couples discover life-affirming birth options for their pregnancies.
Caroline had to have an emergency C-section and wasn't prepared with supplies for the baby. Money was tight, as Caroline already had a one-year-old boy at home.
She called Joining Hearts’ 24/7 pregnancy hotline asking for supplies like diapers, wipes, and a playpen as well as help with rent. Her boyfriend had taken off work to be with her in the hospital, and they were unable to pay rent for the next month.
Senior Program Manager Jennifer Hartwig says the best part of her week was dropping off a rent check and some baby supplies to the family. “They were so sweet and thankful,” she says.
This money helped the family stay in their apartment. With Caroline’s boyfriend now back at work, they’re on a good path to afford upcoming bills.
Rental Assistance Lifts Burden for Families in Head Start
Thanks to funds from the Piper grant, Westside Head Start and Early Head Start provided rental assistance to four families in the Home Base program. This program meets families at home to educate them about child development and connect them to resources.
Among those blessed was a family that has one child enrolled in Home Base and one enrolled in Head Start. The father recently lost his job, making it difficult to pay rent.
When staff member Allison Duncan called the mom to let her know there was a check for her, she got quiet and expressed immense gratitude. The mom picked up the check the next day and was in tears when she received it. She thanked Allison over and over for the assistance.
Ironwood Village Resident Shows Appreciation for Rent Help
Clients who have received rental assistance have expressed enormous gratitude. One of these thankful clients is a resident of Ironwood Village, an affordable housing community.
Sarah* recently wrote a kind letter to the Resident Services staff at Ironwood Village. “I just want to say thank you for helping me with my rent. I’m ever so grateful because times are bad,” she said.
With the help of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Catholic Charities is well on its way to addressing the homelessness crisis with solutions that help the most vulnerable achieve long-term stability.
*Name was changed to protect client privacy.
