Bethlehem Project sees increased need for housing support
Not surprisingly, requests for assistance from the Bethlehem Project are up substantially this year.
A partnership between Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg, the Bethlehem Project provides funds for emergency shelter or rental support, along with assistance to residents of three Westmoreland County shelters as they transition out of homelessness.
“Like other charitable organizations, we are seeing a tremendous spike in need,” said incoming president and fundraising chair Suzanne English. “During August through October of last year, our outlays for rent support and emergency housing totaled under $3,000; this year, they total nearly $12,000 for the same period — a fourfold increase.”
The project’s Tree of Hope may be familiar to people passing by Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg during the holiday season. The tree is lighted in stages as donations come in.
The cathedral also hosts an annual basket raffle to support the project, which was canceled this year due to the pandemic. To compensate, English said, project volunteers are reaching out to past supporters to inform them of the increased need.
Donations are being accepted through Jan. 6, which marks the Feast of Epiphany on the Christian calendar, she said.
“We realize this is a part of a national trend; more than 6 million households missed a mortgage or rental payment during September,” she said.
“Our focus is on rent support because of the vulnerability of renters. We want to insure that we have funds to help people through a difficult winter and spring,” she added. “It’s going to take our country a long time to recover.”
Ray Hoehler, a Bethlehem Project board member and emergency assistance hotline volunteer, said the project recently helped a family including a woman living with her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, one of whom has special needs.
“The husband was laid off and his unemployment application was taking time to come through,” Hoehler said. “As a result of purchasing medicines and other things for (their child), they fell behind on their rent. The landlord cooperated as well as he could, but he was behind, too, because he was experiencing the same circumstances.
“These are the types of stories you hear,” he said. “Unemployment only goes so far, and people have so many needs to fill.”
The Bethlehem Project assists the homeless and those facing the prospect of homelessness through:
• Funds for emergency shelter or first month’s rent in collaboration with the County Housing Authority, the State Department of Welfare and other social service agencies.
• Referrals to other social service agencies.
• Following up when necessary with those served to encourage them in maintaining their goal of permanent housing
• Providing local shelters with needed items several times during the year.
• Following up as necessary with those served to help them maintain the goal of permanent housing
• Community education on laws relating to housing, including the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, and advocating for changes in housing policies that put the poor at greater risk for homelessness.
Project Bethlehem serve residents of Bovard, Crabtree, Derry, Forbes Road, Grapeville, Greensburg, Hannastown, Hunker, Jeannette, Luxor, New Alexandria, New Stanton, Penn and Youngwood.
For information on services or to donate, call 724-834-1840 or visit blessedsacramentcathedral.org.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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