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Combining Catholic Charities programs that serve Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady Counties is helping the agency boost its visibility and better address growing needs.

Last week, what's now called Catholic Charities Tri-County Services moved from the diocesan Pastoral Center in Albany to the former St. John's Academy building in Rensselaer.

The agency gained an executive director, Jenn Hyde, and will be hiring an administrative assistant. The two people who served as directors for the counties' previously-separate programs have been named directors of community services for the combined agency.

None of this has affected Catholic Charities' youth and basic needs programs in the three counties: the VITA tax program; Wheels and Ways to Work; a furniture program; the Sister Maureen Joyce Center, youth enrichment program, Arbor Day Program and social services at Arbor Hill Elementary Community School, all in Albany; the Roarke Center and Sunnyside Child Development Center in Troy; CoNSERNS-U/REACH and Camp Scully in Rensselaer County; and the Hilltowns Community Resource Center in Westerlo.

Catholic Charities programs like Community Maternity Services, AIDS Services, the Housing Program and Disabilities Services will remain separate and under diocesan leadership.

Ms. Hyde said that moving the three counties' administration under one roof will make Catholic Charities Tri-County Services more accessible and sustainable. She began her work in August after 20 years in non-profit management and has focused on networking with community partners.

"We want to have seats at the tables with various coalitions and alliances," Ms. Hyde said. "I want our organization to be one of those that's on the top of [donors'] lists. The more visible we are, the stronger we'll be. The stronger we are, the more people we can serve."

The agency has seen a rise in use of emergency assistance programs and food pantries in the wake of government funding cuts, Ms. Hyde said.

The Catholic Charities changes have "allowed us to be very hands-on with our programs. We're committed to meeting the needs of our communities [and] letting people know that CC is very active in the community," she added.

Ms. Hyde wants to streamline services at the four food pantries Catholic Charities oversees in the tri-county area and help staff communicate about their progress. Another long-term goal will be analyzing the gaps in services in Schenectady County overseen by the Diocese's DePaul Housing Management Corporation.[[In-content Ad]]

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