Catholic Organizations Urge Congress to Extend Eviction Moratorium

Make Check Payable to: Diocese of Davenport on the memo line write: Catholic Charities.

Please mail check to:   
Diocese of Davenport 
Catholic Charities
780 West Central Park Avenue
Davenport, IA 52804

We all know of the suffering of Afghan refugees, Haitian earthquake victims and Hurricane Ida victims. The Bishop has asked for a voluntary special collection for the weekend of September 18 in response to a request of Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Donations that weekend will go to the Bishops Emergency Disaster Fund and will be used to support the USCCB for pastoral and reconstruction needs of the Church as well as the efforts of Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA, the official relief agencies of the U.S. Catholic Church.

Donations can be made payable to: the Diocese of Davenport, supporting the Bishops Emergency Disaster Fund.

Hands on support: 

Some people may want to provide hands on support to refugee resettlement programs through volunteering.  You can reach out to the Catherine McAuley Center in Cedar Rapids or World Relief Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois.

Resources on rental assistance, housing, and other help. 

• Iowa Rent and Utility Assistance Program - Iowa Finance Authority will be taking applications for financial assistance for rent.  The general term of the assistance and the requirements for qualification are at the website now.   The application will NOT depend on immigration status and no information will be provided to any other government agency.  Click here to learn more.  For more information is available under their resource page. 

• Iowa Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act (ESG-CV)- Iowa Finance Authority - may provide assistance to those facing evection or are already homeless.

• Community Action for Eastern Iowa - 563-324-3236

• Churches United CARELINK - 563-332-5002

• Iowa legal Aid-Eviction Information/Rights  1-800-532-1275

• Resident Declaration Form - Other Languages

• Eviction Moratorium Information in 18 Asian Languages

• Iowa Legal Aid COVID-19 Legal Advice Hotline 1-800-332-0419.  for Iowans experiencing any legal problems related to COVID-19 such us eviction, unemployment benefits denial.  Click here to learn more... 

• HHS/CDC Frequently Asked Questions

• Houseiowa.org - database of housing resources

• 211iowa.org or call 2-1-1 for resources

Low-Income Home Water Assistance Program

The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program provides assistance in the form of benefit payments made directly to water vendors on behalf of households for past-due charges, fees, and taxes for drinking and wastewater services hat have been disconnected or are at risk of disconnection.  The program is administered by the Iowa Department of Human Rights and locally through Iowa’s Community Action Agencies that serve all 99 counties.  The application period is open year-round.  It will run through September 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. 

Thank you to the federal Office of Community Services for highlighting Iowa’s Low-Income Home Water Assistance Program.  Check out this video to see how Iowans benefit from this program.  
                                            

Covid Recovery Iowa: This is a DHS administered program, funded by a FEMA grant. Some of the free services offered to children and families are counseling, activities for coping, activities for summer, and resources for basic living needs. There is a hotline provided for families to call, or the website where you can submit a request for assistance needed.  Click here for more information.
 

We have an incredibly rich tradition of addressing direct needs of people and with peace and justice efforts through the Office of Social Action. Early on, the Diocesan expression of response to direct needs as well as peace and justice was a Catholic Charities. 40 years ago assisted by its national leaders, the United Way of the Quad Cites conducted a study of the human needs and community services in the area which included our diocese. Among its conclusions were that the Catholic Charities was understaffed and attempting to provide too broad an array of services that in some cases duplicated the efforts of other service providers. They recommended that the Charities be dissolved and the services be merged with what is now Family Resources. As Monsignor Mottet recalls, he and Bishop O’Keefe sweated over the study for two years before deciding that they would not be good neighbors unless they cooperated with the study. Learn more about Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Davenport History

Services Available:

• Disaster Preparation and Responses: Assist parishes in disaster planning and work with county or community disaster recovery organization in time of disaster to facilitate recovery. 

• Immigration Services: Provides assistance in navigating the immigration process to families and outreach to communities for immigration information and assistance. 

• Jail/Prison Ministry The Jail / Prison Ministry allows parishioner's to volunteer in local correctional facilities by bringing the message and love of God to inmates.
  
  Catholic Charities also supports the works of volunteers committed to Restorative Justice. As an example, volunteers, mentors and members of Circles of Support are actively involved in "walking with" returning citizens upon their release from prison and while they participate in Drug Court, an alternative to incarceration. 

• Parish Health Ministry: Health ministry at the parish level is a compassionate ministry focused on the whole person in the various stages of life from conception to death.  In caring for the spiritual well being of a person, we also address their physical well-being.  Health ministry has a role for everyone at a parish, not just health professionals.

• Project Rachel Ministry:Project Rachel is a confidential, post-abortion healing ministry of the Catholic Church offering hope and healing to women and men hurting from past abortions. Project Rachel staff understand the emotional pain that follows an abortion.  Flyer

Catholic Charities is a compliment to the rich tradition of social justice that continues within the diocese.

• Catholic Charities USA