Luzerne County Society of St. Vincent de Paul assistance programs.
Some examples of what Luzerne County Society of St. Vincent de Paul may offer include clothing, Christmas as well as year round meals, food from a pantry, and of course general case management in the Wyoming Valley. The assistance is available as a very temporary solution, and this agency will direct the clients to other social services as well. As an example of this, there are numerous job training centers that Luzerne County residents can avail themselves of.
Funding comes from many sources. The ESG – emergency solution grants addresses mostly housing issues, while the USDA is a key partner in feeding the hungry. They also focus some of their services on senior citizens as well as the disabled in the community.
Food pantries provide emergency and supplemental assistance to residents who meet eligibility requirements. St. Vincent de Paul will generally support low income families in Wilkes Barre and the county that earn an income of 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or less. In addition to assisting with emergency and supplemental groceries needs, the agency also assists clients with completing the application for food stamps assistance.
A kitchen at the charity also serves daily meals, including at lunch and dinner, to the homeless and those in poverty from the Wyoming Valley. It operates daily, and as an example lunches are served until 12:30 pm. This services does rely on volunteers to get it running. They prepare the meals, serve clients, and also collect donated food items from local stores and businesses.
Luzerne County St. Vincent de Paul also offers referrals to multiple food pantries in Luzerne County and Wilkes Barre. They also partner with USDA on offering applications for SNAP food stamps. There are also other meal services run in the region that focus on hunger prevention. One of this is the USDA Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
A thrift store is also available at some of the local Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania churches. It combines items from the Clothing Room to other services include school supplies, furniture, and more. These items can help a single mom provide for their child, or maybe help a homeless person get the items they need for their new home as they reestablish it.
Additional services from St. Vincent in the Wyoming Valley
Luzerne County St. Vincent de Paul Emergency Housing ranges from vouchers to motels or temporary lodging in homeless shelters. This is mostly available from referrals to emergency financial aid programs, such as ESG grants. Any assistance is provided using a voucher system.
Mobile Outreach is coordinated in Luzerne County. St. Vincent de Paul churches remain committed to mitigating the public health and blight associated with homeless encampments, but also recognizes that those who are sleeping outside need help accessing social services and housing resources.
St. Vincent de Paul of Luzerne County offers humanitarian support and practical survival assistance, while encouraging people living in these situations to seek case management. They should also look for assistance and referrals related to health, grant based aid, and housing. All of this is done while tackling income disparities, and there is a goal of helping clients obtain permanent housing and becoming active community members.
Transitional and Supportive Housing is combined with up to 24 months of case management and support services from St. Vincent partners. This is all done by the church based group for the goal of supporting homeless families and emancipated youth as they work to become self-sufficient. The end result is that staff from Luzerne County St. Vincent de Paul will help them successfully transition into permanent independent living.
Special Needs/AIDS are housing facilities and supportive services for special needs populations. There is an emphasis from St. Vincent on assisting those who have been diagnosed with HIV and/or AIDS and their families.
For children living in a low-income household in Luzerne County, partners of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul provide a safe and healthy learning environment for them during afterschool hours. There may be a low cost for this service, but others may use it at no cost to them. Activities include the following.
Tutoring by volunteer teachers.
Academic monitoring.
Free meals or snacks.
General parent and family help.
The program curriculum is entirely family focused to place a high importance on academic achievement and also regular attendance at school for the children. This helps stabilize the home environment.
Apply for assistance and contact information
Many other services are available. Some of them include a legal clinic, support for immigrants and Spanish speakers, Representative Payee for seniors or the disabled, and a thrift store. The bottom line is that the staff from Luzerne County Society of St. Vincent de Paul provide many social services to the less fortunate. The main address is 33 East Northampton Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701, call 570-822-7118.
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