Christian Community Ministries assistance programs.
Support from Christian Community Ministries can help struggling families and households across Ouachita Parish. While resources are limited, and each request is reviewed on a case by case basic, the assistance ranges from financial aid for electric bills to rent, housing, and help for employment related expenses.
In addition, the charity will only assist when possible. Any support issued is at their discretion, and the organization is under no obligation to help. In some cases, if they can't offer financial aid or maybe food from the pantry, then staff may refer the applicant to other resources in the Monroe area.
Christian Community Ministries may have basic needs from a clothing closet. Work attire or clothes for school may be offered. There is a small, limited collection of free toiletry, paper goods for the home and/or personal hygiene items. There are often annual fund drives as well as donations held from across the community to keep the clothing closet as well as food pantry (see below) supplied with these items.
A free breakfast can be served by the soup kitchen. Or a box of groceries is passed out by the food pantry. For many people turning to Christian Community Ministries for support or food, this breakfast might be the only hot meal they eat all day long. So the goal is to provide a large meal with meat, juice, coffee, protein, fruits, and more. When possible, the team at the charity will try to give the client a sack lunch in a brown bag. This can help feed them later in the day.
The meal service in Ouachita Parish is met by volunteers. They come from local churches, faith based communities, corporations, schools, and service clubs. Anyone that is hungry can stop by, whether low income, senior, or a homeless person.
As far as after the meal, that is when the food pantry can help. This will offer more sustainable assistance in the form of groceries, perishable food, baby formula, and similar items. If there is a need for medications, then this can also sometimes be met by donations that run through the pantry program.
Christian Community Ministries is also committed to helping working poor as well as struggling residents, many of whom also qualify for the Energy Assistance Program or a food pantry, avoid eviction and homelessness through the Rental and Energy Assistance Program.
There is a financial component to this, but in addition, case management is required for all Rent Assistance clients. This process includes a minimum of one home visit per month, during which a case manager will discuss concerns that may include individual goals. There is ongoing support for employment, financial management, landlord/tenant issues or other topics that have been identified through various assessments.
In addition to providing financial assistance for income and otherwise qualified tenants who have fallen behind in their monthly rent payments, the program helps clients secure and maintain affordable housing. So there may be funds for a security or utility deposit, moving costs, or first months rent. The case managers also provide referrals to local partnering organizations that offer temporary, transitional, and permanent affordable housing.
In addition to all of this, attendance at self-sufficiency workshops may be mandated. When a family exits the housing programs from Ouachita Parish, the staff also provide follow-up services. This attendance at workshops focused on self-sufficiency, as well as the follow up, may be mandated.
Unemployed and underemployed residents of Ouachita Parish who enroll in Christian Community Ministries training classes or job-readiness workshops are referred to an employment specialist for a face-to-face counseling session. The goal is to help them find a job. So everything is done to this end. The non-profit even distributes job offerings to other human-services organizations and local government agencies to try to place people.
The agency does recommend that residents first enroll in a job-readiness workshop. Clients of any Christian Ministry program can also enroll in the job club, which provides networking services to assist in their employment search. Individuals in the workshop have access to the on-site workforce-development resource room and can use the agency’s computers to look for work on the Internet.
In addition, as part of its placement service, Christian Community Ministries compiles job offerings from local employers and even non-profits that have openings on a weekly basis and posts this information in its training center. There is assistance provided to any Ouachita Parish or Monroe resident who completes an intake-and-assessment interview with a family development specialist, so the staff are working their best to address underemployment in the community.
Applying for help from Christian Community Ministries
The Christian Community Ministries charity will help the least fortunate in the community. The faith based group is at 322 Harrison St, Monroe, Louisiana 71201. Dial (318) 325-8467.
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