Basic Needs / Emergency Assistance Services

Families and individuals with minimal financial resources are often those with highly complex situations and do not know how to address their problems. While some clients may be dealing with an unusual, short-term situation, such as job loss, many other clients have a long-term family history of poverty that goes back for generations. These are the clients who face the most challenging tasks as they try, perhaps for the first time ever, to become self- sufficient.

The objectives of our Emergency Assistance service are to provide short-term material and financial assistance to assist with housing, utilities and food, as well as the means to secure resources to promote self-sufficiency. The program offers preventive services, crisis management and case management to assist those in a life transition, the working poor, and/or the unemployable. Individuals and families who wish to change their life circumstances are offered the opportunity to work with a Case Manager who can assist them in developing goals and ways to attain these.

Services include:

Community Hot Meals - Congregate hot meals are served two times per week at no charge. Individuals and families in need are invited to attend. All are welcome. TUESDAYS (4:30 PM - 6:00 PM) Dowed Hall at Annunciation (now known as Visitation of the Blessed Virgin parish.) 87 Broad St., East Akron. WEDNESDAYS (11:30 AM -1:00 PM) Frey Hall at St. Martha's Church (now known as Most Blessed Trinity parish). 300 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron.
Food Pantry
Housing Stabilization and Crisis Management
Dollars and Sense classes – basic budget management
Personal Financial Management classes – in-depth budget management
Partial financial support for housing and utilities
Volunteer Development