Center guides needy to services

About 66 people have already taken advantage of its services, in addition to a number of walk-ins who have simply asked questions.

"Our two main requests are housing and employment," said Sister Kate Crispo, CSJ, who coordinates the center. But visitors have also asked for food and clothing, help in getting dental work done, computer training, and information on food stamps. Other services, like parenting classes or family counseling, will be available as people ask for them.

Working together

* Albany diocesan Catholic Charities, including agencies like Community Maternity Services, Hispanic Outreach Services, AIDS Services and United Tenants of Albany;

* Project Strive, a program serving at-risk youth run by the Center for Family and Youth; and

* Trinity Institution/The Homer Perkins Center, which provide drug treatment, family counseling and intervention services.

The Homeless Housing Assistance Program, the City of Albany and its Community Development Agency have also provided funding assistance.

Each participating organization sends staff members to work certain hours at the center, located at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Henry Johnson Boulevard.

Resource center

Those services might include a request for an AIDS test, parenting classes for new mothers, safe housing for battered women, assistance in fighting an eviction notice or employment guidance.

The purpose of the center, said Sister Maureen, is to help people in their own neighborhoods, rather than forcing them to travel to get assistance.

Sister Kate, who has spent much of her ministry working with the people of Albany in parishes like St. Joseph's and Sacred Heart, greets walk-ins, finds out what their needs are and helps to direct them to the appropriate office.

Earlier model

Such houses helped newcomers with everything from learning English to enrolling their children in school. "We always referred to this as a settlement house," Sister Maureen said of the new center.

In addition to its many resources, the center also has two apartments for homeless families. Currently, a man with two young sons and a woman with a two-year-old daughter are living there.

Sister Maureen noted that ironically, the apartments were hard to fill, because applicants must actually be homeless in order to qualify to live there. Most families, when faced with homelessness, stay temporarily with friends or relatives -- and thus no longer fit the state's definition of "homeless."

More to do

"The big thing I'm working on is trying to inform people about educational opportunities," Sister Kate added. "If they don't have skills, they can't get a job."

She noted that some of her time is spent meeting with organizations eager to help the people using the center. "Everybody in the world is giving me brochures!" she said.

(The Center for Community Collaboration is located at 326 Clinton Ave., Albany. Call 462-6829.)

(08-23-01) [[In-content Ad]]