“I’m not sure what we would do without them. There really aren’t any other resources for what they provide our clients.” That’s what Stephanie Schlappi-Kindred, Program Manager for Housing Case Management in Lake County, says about the tremendous partnership between Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago (CCAC), CCAC’s Lake County Women’s Board, and Jim Wogan, a longtime employee-turned-dedicated volunteer. Working together, they are able to help families find stable, long-term housing. 

Catholic Charities oversees three housing programs in Lake County: Housing Advocacy and Youth Housing Advocacy that serves youth aging out of the foster care system and families involved with DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services); the Critical Time Intervention-Representative Payee (CTI-RP) program that serves people who have been chronically homeless and have a documented disability; and the Rapid Rehousing Program that serves families living in domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters (such as PADS), cars, tents, or other temporary housing. 

In total, CCAC serves an average of 88 people each month and transitions 12 households into apartments each month. Individuals and families served in these programs receive subsidized rent for a period of time and supportive services from CCAC. Each of the programs is unique because the needs of each population are unique. “Clients in our CTI-RP program need more support from us and for a longer period of time,” explains Stephanie. “But we still focus on them achieving the highest level of stability and self-sufficiency as possible.”

For clients in the Rapid Rehousing program, the goal is frequently helping them clean up credit issues, teaching budgeting skills, and increasing their skills so that they can get higher paying jobs. “Simply put, many people are priced out of the housing market in Lake County. It’s very expensive. Once they are stabilized, the best thing we can do for people long term is to help them earn more money,” Stephanie explains. “We also provide case management services, connect them with available community resources and work on any mental health or substance use issues if that is a concern.” 

Dedicated Volunteers Step In

It is truly a happy day when clients move into an apartment. But most of CCAC’s clients are starting from scratch. They have nothing. This is where Catholic Charities Lake County Women’s Board and Jim Wogan step in. 

The first order of business is to find furnishings for their apartments, and the Sharing Hands Furniture Ministry, run by Jim out of St. Mary of Vernon Catholic Church in Indian Creek, is a saving grace. For the past 32 years, Jim and his team have faithfully picked up furniture donations, stored them, and then delivered them to needy families in central Lake County. 

Jim says, “I have an army of volunteers, and thanks to a generous donor we now have five trucks. Every Saturday we are picking up and delivering furniture—either to families receiving food from the St. Mary of Vernon food pantry or to families from Catholic Charities. We are able to help approximately one to two families from Catholic Charities per week depending upon our inventory. It’s 100% volunteer and it’s 100% free to people who need it.” 

Once the furnishings are covered, next up are household items. A few years ago, the Women’s Board of Lake County started the Welcome Home Project, which provides bedding, cooking utensils, and other household items to clients moving into apartments. 

How the Welcome Home Project Began 

“It really started with (fellow board member) Colleen Bowman and her volunteering at the reception desk,” says Women’s Board member Gina Zisook, who, along with partner Sondra Adam, is currently spearheading the project for the Board. “She would collect quarters for the kids aging out of foster care so they could do their laundry at laundromats. And then she realized the kids didn’t have anything for their apartments when they started out, so she would bring in things for them. Then she started helping families in the other programs and determined she couldn’t do it alone. That’s when I got involved. It’s now expanded to the entire Board and we help any and all of the clients moving into apartments.” 

Gina and Sondra have turned the Welcome Home Project into a well-oiled machine. Catholic Charities caseworkers complete a request form marking needed items. Gina reviews the form and compares it to her inventory of donated goods t on neatly organized shelves in her garage. If there’s anything that she doesn’t already have, she sends a group text out to Women’s Board members, and often within hours the needed items appear on her doorstep. Then, Gina and Sondra pack up the items and deliver them to CCAC’s Waukegan office so caseworkers can give them to the clients. They make at least two, and sometimes four to five deliveries per week. 

“I’m not sure how they are able to get these things to us so fast,” Stephanie says. “It’s such a blessing for the clients.”

Women’s Board members are always on the hunt for gently used or new items to add to their inventory, or they donate gift cards that Gina and Sondra use to purchase new items. “As long as I can get my car in the garage in the winter, that’s all I ask,” Gina laughs. “Some of the items we receive are really beautiful, gently used items. Other things we buy new.” 

A Powerful Partnership 

“The Women’s Board has adopted the Welcome Home Project as one of its cornerstone projects,” says Carolyn Milligan, Women’s Board President. “The response from members has been overwhelming. They like to help in such a concrete way to the continuous needs we see all around us. The Welcome Home Project, combined with the backpack drive we do in the fall and how we help with the Christmas Gift program, are such tangible ways to give back.”

Jim had been Catholic Charities volunteer coordinator in Lake County for many years before he retired, although most would call him more “tireless” than “retired.” In addition to his work with the furniture ministry, he and co-chair Sue Fowler (another employee-turned-dedicated volunteer) spearhead CCAC’s Christmas Gifts program in Lake County—a massive undertaking with thousands of gifts and hundreds of volunteers. Jim also oversees the food pantry at his parish in his spare time. When asked about his “retirement,” Jim jokes and says, “I plan to go out with my boots on!”

The Women’s Board members help CCAC in so many ways, including providing volunteers for numerous programs and hosting an annual fundraising gala, the Art of Caring, which last year raised more than $400,000 for programs and services.  “Catholic Charities is there for people on the margins,” Carolyn explains. “They lift people up. The Women’s Board is there to help them do that every step of the way. The Women’s Board and Catholic Charities is a great partnership that truly witnesses our call to serve one another.” 

For more information on the Welcome Home Project, contact Lisa Connolly, Senior Director, Institutional Advancement, [email protected] 

Angela’s Story

Angela came to CCAC after becoming homeless due to a long-term domestic violence situation. Upon joining the program, she was able to separate from her husband and was granted an order of protection. She was provided a Housing Choice Voucher which helped her gain long term affordable housing. Thanks to the Sharing Hands Furniture Ministry and the Welcome Home Project, Angela received the furniture and household items that she needed for her new apartment. 

During her time with CCAC, Angela completed a certification program to become a paralegal and found a new job with greater earning potential. She also began working with a local agency that offers home-buying education and took advantage of budget counseling through CCAC to help her save money for a down payment toward a future home. Angela has flourished and worked hard to become self-sufficient. Catholic Charities has provided her with many services including case management, tenant education, budgeting assistance, help setting up her household, supplemental food through our food pantry, employment search and placement, home visits, and connected her to resources in her community. Angela is thriving and continues to provide her children a safe, happy, stable, and loving home.