Catholic Charities Diocese Of Tyler

Programs: Immigration - through its ils (immigration legal services) program, catholic charities east texas, a bia (board of immigration appeals) recognized agency, helps those immigrants in need regardless of their race, creed, or religion. We believe all are deserving of the basic human rights of food, shelter, education, protection, and health care. Our immigration legal department is staffed with bia accredited personnel, who continue to receive regular monthly training with uscis in dallas and various educational conferences and webinars sponsored by clinic (catholic legal immigration network, inc. ) throughout the year. We provide immigration legal services as a way to reunite families and promote self-sufficiency for immigrants through low cost legal assistance in legal matters. Services include consultations and assistance with applications for deferred action for childhood arrivals (daca), adjustment of statues, naturalization & citizenship, and legal permanent residency, as well as vawa (violence against women act), u- and t- visa applications.

while our new parish nurse ministry was established in early 2014, the health screenings ( the first events) for the new program began in the summer of 2014. The goal of a parish nurse is to use a holistic approach to care by addressing the spiritual & emotional, as well as physical, wellbeing of individuals by giving professional onsite medical and health evaluations, health care education programming, navigational assistance, and individual case management to those who may not otherwise go without; enabling that person to hopefully avoid costly trips to doctor or hospital. They also offer health counseling, referral source & advocacy, advance care facilitation, and more. Nine parish nurses, representing 8 different churches, have successfully completed a 40 hour certification course. They work up to 8 hours per week with a paid hourly rate of $20 per hour. Our nurses now have two home visitation teams, with training of volunteers in all the churches. Also in 2014, the nurses held 2 health screening events in which the nurses aided approximately 95 individuals, resulting in 16 of those individuals becoming patients of the federally qualified health center. One of our nurses visits 3-4 homebound members of her congregation weekly. Two of our nurses see approx. 20 people in their congregation regularly for blood pressure screening & education. One of the nurses has also organized a mental health forum to provide regular educational events and is forming a support group for families of patients with mental illness. Two nurses have begun an exercise and fitness program for senior members of their congregation.

roses for food - the roses for food program began in 2007 to combat poverty through alleviating hunger in east texas. Catholic charities east texas roses for food program provides technical and financial support to partner food pantries who are members in good standing with the east texas, houston and north texas food banks. Funds are awarded annually and are based on availability and the number of applicants. Consideration is given to recommendations made by the food bank as to pantries most in need. Funds awarded are placed on account with the food banks for pantry use. Since 2007, we have funded over 1,070,000 meals. In 2014 we were able to provide $10,000 to assist the already established food pantries.