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Catholic Charities describes rent and utility assistance and reopens a financial empowerment center
Summary
Diane Libro of Catholic Charities of North Louisiana told commissioners the agency used $20,000 in parish funding to help 122 households with rent or utility bills last year and announced a June 10 relaunch of a city-funded financial empowerment center to provide longer-term counseling.
Diane Libro, executive director of Catholic Charities of North Louisiana, described the agency’s emergency rent and utility assistance program, budget counseling and plans to relaunch a financial empowerment center.
Libro said the commission’s $20,000 allocation last year paid rent or utilities for 122 households, and that clients must attend a basic money-management class and meet one-on-one with a case manager before assistance is provided. She said the agency receives between 50 and 100 calls weekly and typically helps 12–15 qualifying families per week due to limited funds.
Joe Bulger, the organization’s director of financial services, said Catholic Charities participates in the Dollar Energy Fund program with the Salvation Army to stretch utility-assistance dollars. Libro also announced the June 10 grand opening of a financial empowerment center to provide individualized counseling on debt reduction, credit improvement and savings strategies, noting the center is targeted to city residents but could complement parish efforts.
Commissioners thanked Catholic Charities and discussed opportunities to coordinate additional resources and new private-sector partnerships to extend assistance.
