Love Is the Good News
We have all been rocked by the tragedies that have unfolded in our community and in the nation. One of our programs, funded by a federal grant from the Department of Justice, provides counseling for survivors of crime. Killy Bins, Sr., is just one of our neighbors who has found joy out of the pain of grief and loss. His precious daughter Taylor was murdered in a senseless crime. But her spirit lives on now through her daughter Charli, who is now being raised by her doting grandfather and extended family members. They found love, hope, and healing with the help of our specialty counseling programs designed especially for families experiencing shocking losses.
Highlighting Our Foreign-Born Staffers
One of the highlights of our fun Festival of Hope in April was to shine a light on our many staff members—nearly a third of our 150—who were born in another country. Some of those were actual clients served by this Catholic Charities. They found the best way to give back was to bring their talents and skills to serve others who also were granted admission to the United States and placed in Tennessee.
One staff member, Celestin Ndagije, a refugee benefits eligibility specialist, is a native of Rwanda. He worked his way through Tennessee State University’s computer science program as a certified nursing assistant, and is fluent in English, French, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili. The photo shows many of the staff who were presented at the fundraiser in April. We are also fortunate to bring onto staff a former Ukrainian client, Valeriia Cherednychenko, who is now working with our current caseload of 47 Ukrainians. Amazon wish list here
Household Items Needed
Want to really love your neighbor? Gift them with brand new items for their home. Here’s a list of items that we are running low on: Twin bed sheets, twin comforters, lamps, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, big trash bins, small trash bins, brooms/dustpans, mops, dining room chairs, dining tables, couches, and pillows. All items are listed on our Amazon wish list here
New Hires In Brief
• Paola Beltran joined the staff as communications coordinator. Paola holds a Master’s in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a native of Bogota, Colombia, and earned a Bachelor’s in Communications from the Universidad Externado de Colombia in 2017. Paola says to remind all of our readers to like us on social media. For Facebook click here / For Instagram click here
• Deanna Webster is our new clinical services director. She has 25 years’ experience in a variety of clinical settings, serving youth, older adults, and many others. She also has college-level teaching experience in the field. Deanna holds LSW, LMFT-T, and PhD credentials. A hallmark of her career has been program development and cultivating community partnerships. Dr. Webster recently relocated to Clarksville from Wichita, but has long deep roots in Ohio.
Please Help Us Raise $250,000
As we work toward our last push for fiscal year-end fundraising, we find that our reputation for excellent service is bringing many more of our neighbors to our doors. Despite a strong labor market, not everyone’s pay has kept pace with their rising expenses. In the last weeks of June, we expect to serve more than 500. To do our best work we need to assist with electric bills, rent and mortgage payments, food, scholarships for counseling and for job training. Please consider a gift of $1,000, or whatever you are able to give, before June 30.
P.S. We are looking for great volunteers and interns! If you know someone looking to make a difference and enjoy amazing work in a vibrant and diverse environment, look no further. Come join us in our mission to bring more love, hope, and healing!
