A New Identity

We each have multiple ways that we identify who we are in life. But for the children in our community who are abandoned, neglected, or abused, perhaps their only way of identifying themselves is…

                                                  Helpless.      Desperate.     Hopeless.

At only 8 years old, Brandon was taken into protective custody after protecting his mother during a domestic dispute. Both of Brandon’s parents had a long history of substance abuse and his father had abandoned him at birth.

Over the next six years, Brandon went through multiple placements in treatment facilities, foster homes, a youth shelter, and the juvenile detention center – all while his mother was serving a lengthy prison sentence. Brandon was allowed to have contact with his mother during this time, and he remained hopeful that they would be reunited upon her release. When that day finally came, his mother fell back into a life of drugs and domestic violence, unable to reconnect with her son.

Then, St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities’ CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer was appointed to Brandon’s case. The two quickly established a rapport and for the first time in Brandon’s life, a sense of trust was developed. Due to the tenacity of his CASA volunteer, Brandon successfully remained a Child in Need of Services (CHINS) through the court system; resulting in a voluntary termination of parental rights and enabling the pursuit of adoption.

Brandon’s CASA spends countless hours with him – and has observed Brandon make great strides towards normalcy, including being an active and valued member of a youth football team and attending church each Sunday, where he saves a seat for the CASA who attends with him. Ever vigilant in her dedication to Brandon’s success, when asked if she will remain in his life, her reply to Brandon is swift and from the heart, “I hope to dance at your wedding someday.”

Without the love and support of this CASA volunteer, Brandon would not be who he is today…

Successful.      Confident.       Hopeful.

Together we can reach out to those in desperate need… offering them a new identity.

From Fear to Confidence

As a 4th grader at an Indianapolis parochial school, "Paul" should have been enjoying just being a kid. Sadly, his life was ruled by an anxiety disorder and he coped by avoiding any situation that made him feel anxious. Afraid of almost everything, Paul was missing out on activities he used to enjoy and rarely tried anything new.

One of Paul's classmates also struggled with anxiety and had made significant progress with the help of a social worker from the Catholic Charities School Social Work Program in Indianapolis during the previous school year. The classmate's mother suggested to Paul's parents that this program might also be able to help their son, and they were eager to give it a try.   

The social worker came alongside Paul throughout the whole first semester - helping him understand anxiety and how his mind and body respond to stressors. They made a "worry workbook" together, listing all of Paul's worries from the smallest to the biggest. Then they developed positive ways for Paul to respond to those worries and started adding those coping skills to his "tool box." Paul was learning how to manage his stress so that he felt calm and in control.

The social worker also spent time with Paul's parents, helping them develop communication skills to effectively help their son. By God's grace and the help of Catholic Charities School Social Work Program, Paul has successfully tackled several of the worries on his list and now responds with healthy coping skills. Paul has developed an increased level of confidence in his abilities and is doing better academically, as well as socially.

For more information about this program, please call 317-236-1523.

Seeing the Whole Picture

The summer has flown by – it’s already August! And we all know what that means – school. Students all across the country are going back to school. Some are eagerly anticipating it, while others are dreading it.

So often we look at our youth and want to take care of the external – ensuring they have an education, food, safety, and greater opportunities when they are in school. Rarely do we see the whole picture of what is going on in their lives. For John Etling, Agency Director at Catholic Charities in Terre Haute, an encounter with a young man named *Ben at Ryves Youth Center forever changed his perspective…

I’ll never forget the day I met Ben. I was giving a tour to a visitor when Ben asked me to shoot some baskets with him. Thinking he was hungry, I sent Ben away to the Kid’s Café with the promise of shooting baskets once he got some food and I finished up my tour.

As promised, Ben and I met in the gym a few hours later to shoot baskets. While we were shooting, one of the other children came into the gym and asked Ben if I was his dad. Ben replied with ease, “yes.” That response touched a place deep in my heart.

You see, Ben’s parents had recently divorced because of addiction issues, Ben’s older brother was in juvenile detention, and Ben was living on the streets, staying with anyone who might take him in for the night.  And here I thought all this kid needed was a nutritious meal. 

I thought, “If Ben needs me to be his dad at this moment then I’m going to be his dad.” Then it dawned on me – that’s exactly what Jesus wants us to be to these kids: dads, moms, brothers, sisters… family.

These kids need our love. Sure we feed them, but we also love them. I believe that’s exactly what Mother Theresa had in mind when she said, “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”

Thank you to all who serve as a dad, mom, brother, sister, or friend to the youth in need. We at Catholic Charities are thankful for the love, leadership, and investment that our staff, volunteers, and donors make in the lives of countless youth. 

Won’t you do the same?

*Name changed for privacy