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No two days for Catholic Charities case manager Tedricka Frazier are the same.
“I get calls all day long with different crises for me to solve,” she says. “Any call we get, we try to solve it.” It might be texting a client job leads, dropping off toiletries donations or setting someone up in an apartment.
As a case manager, Frazier is dealing with the wide variety of charitable services the organization provides to the underprivileged in Southeastern Wisconsin.
One of her cases this past year was a woman who lost her home.
“I helped her look for a house,” Frazier says. “With funding, we were able to get the security deposit and first month’s rent [along with furnishings and toiletries]. We were able to knock down that barrier. Now she has the resources she needs to stay in that home.”
Catholic Charities will also help those in need of housing by providing Goodwill vouchers for clothing and household items. Most of the clients Frazier sees “have completely nothing,” she says. “They’re starting over.” She often works with her clients for a year or more. Catholic Charities also offers them therapy, and by partnering with a Spanish-speaking therapist, it reaches more members of the communities it serves.
Another pressing need Catholic Charities is working to address is the rising depression rates among the elderly. “Sometimes they just want a phone call, just to talk,” Frazier says.
For seniors who struggle with dementia – or adults who are 50 years of age or older and cannot live independently – the Adult Day Center is a valuable resource.
“They come and socialize and engage with their peers throughout the day,” says the center’s director, Annette Jankowski. “They’re in a safe haven throughout the day and able to use their mind and their body.”
This also allows family members and caregivers to work during the day. Nursing assistants help with medication management and bathing, and meals are provided in what Jankowski calls “a family-type environment.” And an annual holiday party includes a visiting Santa and gift-wrapped presents “to brighten their Christmas.”
What We Do:
- Catholic Charities’ mission is to assist people affected by poverty, provide culturally competent social services and advocate for justice.
- The organization provides services in 10 counties in Southeastern Wisconsin
- It works with many individuals and families, including pregnant women, new moms, parents with intellectual disabilities, seniors with disabilities, refugees and people experiencing emotional or financial crisis.
Where Your Money Goes:
- Donations are used to fund Catholic Charities’ many programs, including the Adult Day Center, in-home support for seniors, mental health counseling for people without access to other resources, outreach and case management as well as humanitarian aid for Afghan refugees.
DETAILS:
P.O. Box 070912
414-769-3400
ccmke.org
