Catholic Charities Potter County and Panhandle assistance programs.
Catholic Charities offers social services and direct financial aid, as well as free food, in Potter County and the Panhandle. There are a few churches in Amarillo as well as Potter County that participate, with a focus on the youth, homeless, low income, as well as immigrants (legal or not). Find more details on the emergency assistance that is offered below.
Note when it comes to direct financial assistance for paying bills, that is limited. What is more likely to be given will be free food from Hunger Project, Affordable Housing, Homeless shelters, and case management including ESL classes. A big focus is also on helping immigrants in the Potter County region.
Food programs from Amarillo and Panhandle Catholic Charities
Free food is provided by the food bank (or grocery store) at Potter County Catholic Charities. This is a service known as Hunger Project that is provided to anyone who is struggling in the community, regardless of their age, income, hardship, race, religion, etc. The goal is to ensure that no one is hungry in the region. It helps the unemployed, people with a reduction in their income, and others.
To this end, the charity provides vary forms of support to clients. They do this by offering many type of programs, whether it is groceries from the pantry (which is a client choice grocery store) to applications to SNAP food stamps. All of the different resources have pros and cons, as well as benefits associated with them. Some, such as the pantry address emergency needs. Others, such as food stamps, are for long term needs of families, as they feed the poor for an extended period of time.
No matter what the client may or may not need, the assistance available from the team at the Potter County Catholic Charities is invaluable. They do their best to find a solution, and each individual may have a different “solution” customized for their scenario.
Immigrant and refugee services in Amarillo
Catholic Charities in Potter County classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English and Literacy Civics (EL Civics) assist students with language acquisition. This is a key program for immigrants and refugees in Potter County as well as the Texas Panhandle. The purpose of both programs is for students to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become active and informed parents, workers, and community members.
For those that are not aware, ESL provides practice in listening to, reading, speaking and writing in English. It can help Spanish or other foreign language speakers adapt. EL Civics classes cover American history, laws, government, and information related to the United States Citizenship test. The ESL as well as Civics programs offer childcare services to very low income parents. Tutors are always needed as well.
Low cost legal help is offered. Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle and Potter County Citizenship and Immigration Program is the main resource. There are different components to it. They will help immigrants get documentation for citizenship, address housing discrimination, help with employment, and there is also assistance for refugees or asylum seekers as well. The legal aid is in Spanish too.
Amarillo Catholic Charities housing programs
There are a few housing programs in Potter County. Catholic Charities owns and operates several low income units in the region. The housing is similar to income based section 8 housing. They are income based housing that requires the tenant to pay some money for their rent, utilities, and housing, but Catholic Charities offers the units to the poor, low income, and elderly among others. Or find more on section 8 housing Texas.
The Potter County Catholic Charities Youth shelter is dedicated to serving the homeless. It is open to people who are seeking refuge from the streets, especially women and children or victims of DV. With a focus on youth, including immigrants. The goal is to support those who have no other avenues for assistance. Shelter clients get the following.
-Access to services and resources available through main office.
-Hot meals or clothing.
-Access to computers to apply for public aid or a job.
-Other assistance is arranged too.
Eyecare and other social services from Catholic Charities
The charity offers other assistance as well. One is dealing with vision needs, including eyeglasses for adults and children. There are doctors and vision professionals that give the low income as well as uninsured free vision exams. In addition to that, eyeglasses or free contact lens may be offered. Or find free eye exam tests for children from low income families.
The Potter County Catholic Charities also helps the less fortunate in other ways. There are translation programs, Disaster Relief, youth mentoring programs and more. The goal is to help the less fortunate in anyway possible who are in the Panhandle as well as Potter County region.
Applying for assistance
Catholic Charities of the Panhandle is a leading organization for assistance in Potter County. They do not discriminate based on age, race, religion, ethnicity, or other factors. The main information is 2801 Duniven Circle, Amarillo, TX 79109, phone (806) 376-4571.
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