A Caring Place provides a full day of activities |
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A Caring Place continues to support caregivers and their loved ones by providing a safe daytime environment for adults with physical and cognitive challenges. In recent months A Caring Place adult participants have enjoyed our usual fun and games, trivia, Bingo, Valentine's Day crafts, a drum circle with The Bongo Boys and more. And Bob the dog visits us every Friday morning!
We are truly fortunate to have volunteers from Butler University help with some of our programming. Their youth and enthusiasm brings a smile to many of our participants' faces. One student even shares his guitar playing talent with the group. We look forward to warmer weather and continued visits from the Butler students. Click here to learn more about A Caring Place Adult Day Services.
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Crisis Office helps veteran get back on his feet |
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James Williams came to the Crisis Office upon referral from Wheeler Mission after suffering a job loss and a divorce in the past year. In his 50’s, James found himself unemployed with no place to live for the first time in his life. He needed help paying for his prescriptions, obtaining health services, and getting transportation. James had been living in his car, but it was towed while he was away, and he could not afford the towing fee.
Though he was staying at a men’s shelter, he was not aware of the health services offered and we explained to him how the caseworkers at Wheeler Mission and the Homeless Initiative Program might be able to get him the medical attention he needed. We also learned during our interview that James was an honorably discharged veteran and referred him to the Veteran’s Affairs office which would be able to assist him with his health and prescription needs and in finding housing. We gave him food, clothing, and hygiene items, as all his belongings were in his impounded vehicle.
The following month James returned to let us know that the Veteran’s Affairs office was helping him with housing and his medical needs. We provided James with rental assistance and help on an old utility bill. His situation has improved thanks in part to community partners working together to find him the help he needed.
Here are some of the items that we need to help people like James
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Food Pantry Items
Canned Fruit &Vegetables
Rice & Beans
Soup
Peanut Butter & Jelly
Spaghetti Sauce & Pasta
Canned Meats
Mac & Cheese
Juice
Dry Milk
Bottled Water
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Hygiene Items
Bar Soap and Razors
Toothbrushes & Paste
Deodorant
Shampoo & Conditioner
Laundry and Dish Detergent
Feminine Hygiene Items
Toilet Tissue
Lotion
Diapers & Wipes
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Clothing Items
New Underwear & Socks
Gently Used Clothing of All Sizes
Shoes
Belts
Purses & Totes
Umbrellas
Jackets, & Coats
Hats
Bath Towels
Sheets & Blankets
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Office Items
Pencils & Pens
File Folder Labels
Post-It Notes
Copy Paper
Paper Clips
Ziplock Bags
Kleenex
Tape
Paper or Plastic Shopping Bags
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To learn more about the Crisis Office visit our website.
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Caregiving is conversation for now |
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Caregiving for an older adult is likely part of your future, and education and communication is an essential part of the journey. Caregiving is doing something as small as picking up prescriptions and calling with reminders to take the medication. Caregiving is doing something as big as providing physical assistance to help a person safely bathe.
Caregivers provide regular care or assistance to a friend or family member with a health problem or a disability. In Indiana, 1 in 4 adults are caregivers: 60% are women, over 50% assist with personal care, and almost 1/3 spend 20 hours a week providing care (2019, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Caregivers often report a sense of gratitude for being able to provide care, but it’s also a reality that caregivers’ emotional, physical, and financial health can be at risk.
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What community resources are available to support aging individuals and their caregivers? When should they be used, and what are the qualifications for these resources? Review CICOA’s Solutions Guide.
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There can be a financial impact. Caregivers report spending thousands of dollars on out-of-pocket caregiving expenses.
Now is the time to have conversations about how we envision aging for ourselves, the care we would want, and how we envision providing care to someone who may need assistance in the future. We risk ending up in crises, not knowing what decisions to make, and second-guessing decisions that are made when we don’t make these conversations a normal part of life. The Conversation Project and Five Wishes provide guides to help people talk about what’s important to them.
Catholic Charities Indianapolis has programs to support caregivers of older adults including A Caring Place Adult Day Services, the Senior Companion Program, Individual Counseling, in person and virtual caregiver support groups, caregiver massage and music therapy, and individual consultation. To speak with someone about caregiving, even if you don’t know the questions to ask, contact Monica Woodsworth, MGS, at mwoodsworth@archindy.org or 317-261-3378.
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Christmas Store brings joy to families in need |
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2021 was another great year for The Christmas Store. The store served a record-breaking 926 families (3564 individuals) in need in just 5 weeks. The store operated as a drive up again this year with volunteers pulling gifts for families and loading them into cars. We would like to thank the staff, volunteers and donors that make the Christmas Store possible every year.
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Caregiver Support Groups:
Virtual and in person support groups for caregivers of older adults. The groups are not disease specific. Registration required. Contact Monica at mwoodsworth@archindy.org or 317-261-3378. If you are not able to attend, feel free to call for caregiver information.
- 3rd Thursday, from 5:30 - 7 PM. In person at the Catholic Center, 1400 N Meridian Street.
- 3rd Tuesday from 5:30 - 7 PM. In person at St Jude's, 5375 McFarland Road.
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4th Thursday from 4:15 - 5:30 PM. Virtual. Registration required to receive Zoom link.
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Date: Thursday, April 14th
Time: 11:45am
Location: Catholic Center (1400 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis)
Details: Please join us for this annual Holy Thursday tradition. We will begin the luncheon with a brief prayer service at 11:45. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.
Funds raised from this event will help the Crisis Office purchase a new freezer. We currently not enough space to store all the vegetables and protein that we could receive so we have to turn away free food. Our goal this year is to raise $6,000 in donations to purchase a new freezer unit. Click here to register
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Donor Advised Funds- Did you know? |
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· The Archdiocese’s Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) is a sponsoring charity which administers Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) for archdiocesan parishes, schools and ministries.
· DAFs act like a tax-friendly “charitable investment account.” They are easy to create, have no start-up fee, and provide a hands-on vehicle for you to make an impact on your favorite Catholic ministry(ies).
· As the donor advisor, you can advise distributions to be gifted from your CCF fund to varying Catholic ministries at any time, in any amount.
· Like an endowment, a DAF grows within CCF’s ‘pool’ of funds (525+ funds valued at $240 million+) which utilizes the power of investing and provides greater collective growth for all funds. The value of a gifted asset to a DAF (such as cash, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other property) continues to grow tax-free in this “pool” until used - i.e. more funds for your charitable giving.
· CCF also follows the US Catholic Bishops’ ethical investment guidelines which promote socially-responsible investing aligned with Catholic teaching.
· A DAF can be especially useful when your finances might benefit from a significant charitable tax deduction in a given year while you wish to distribute the amount of the gift over several years (aka “charitable bunching.” increasingly popular with the higher standard deduction).
For more information about establishing a DAF with the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF), please contact ccf@archindy.org or 317-236-1482.
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Follow us on Facebook:
Catholic Charities Indianapolis
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To inquire about the Crisis Office and Christmas Store, contact Stephanie Davis at sdavis@archindy.org
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To inquire about donating to Catholic Charities Indianapolis, contact Cheri Bush at cbush@archindy.org
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Help Catholic Charities by Shopping at
No Extra Cost to You!
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Call 877-CCI-2340 (877-224-2340) to make your tax-deductible arrangements for your vehicle donation. |
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92 cents of every dollar is used to provide critical support, genuine care, and gentle relief for those who seek our help. |
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