“They didn’t judge me for who I am. And that showed me that no matter what goes on in my life, I can always come to Catholic Charities.” — Dianne, Giving Hope Fund Participant
Dealing with a broken water heater. Replacing worn-out brake pads. Taking off work to help your wife recover from surgery.
For many, experiences like these are an inconvenient, albeit normal, part of life. But for hundreds of thousands of people across Cook and Lake counties (including many whom Catholic Charities serves), these experiences can snowball into much bigger problems. “Even for working families, an unexpected expense of $1,000 can quickly become a crisis,” says Catholic Charities President and CEO Sally Blount.
When there’s nowhere else to turn
“Research shows that emergency financial assistance can be highly effective in softening the impact of financial shocks,” Blount says, explaining the genesis of the Giving Hope Fund, Catholic Charities’ privately funded emergency financial assistance program.
Since its launch in the summer of 2023, Giving Hope has disbursed nearly $400,000 to individuals from 500 financially vulnerable households. Giving Hope recipients must be participating in other Catholic Charities programs. Grants are capped at $2,500, but the average amount requested is $720.
Flexible, efficient, and quick
Giving Hope differs from government financial assistance programs in several ways. First, because it is privately funded, there is greater flexibility in what is covered.
Giving Hope wouldn’t be possible without visionary philanthropic support.
— Sally Blount, President and CEO
“Philanthropic funding has allowed us to build out Giving Hope’s model in a way that honors our commitment to radical hospitality,” Blount says.
“There are government relief programs that address utility and rental arrears, but they are limited in what they can cover,” says Nelly Guzman, Director of Case Management at Charities Resource Hub, which manages the Giving Hope program. “For someone needing to purchase a work uniform or furnish an apartment after a fire, however, there are not many programs like this out there.”
In addition to Giving Hope’s flexibility, its application process is straightforward. “If you are being served by Catholic Charities, you are eligible,” says Guzman. Requests are referred by staff who attest to the hardship. Guzman’s team of case managers evaluates requests and determines if alternative resources are available. If there aren’t, Guzman’s team pays the expense. “So, if it’s a car repair, we call the garage and pay the invoice on behalf of the individual.”
Finally, funds are disbursed quickly. “Our goal is 48 hours,” says Guzman, “but we can take care of urgent requests the same day.” Being able to provide this type of help to people in need is a gift for Guzman’s team as well. “Hope shouldn’t be hoarded,” she says. “ We want to share it with everyone.”
Last year, Dianne experienced five unexpected deaths in her family.
Dealing with the impact, she fell behind on managing her expenses. A Catholic Charities case manager recommended her to the Giving Hope Fund, which provided financial assistance to help pay for her lights and gas. “I never felt so much love and respect,” she says.
Now Dianne passes that love on, including to her son, whom she encourages to pursue his goals: an eighth-grade diploma, a high school diploma, a college degree. “I want [my son] to get something more out of life than what I had,” Dianne says. “He is my pride and joy.”
The Giving Hope Fund at a glance
