Following last month’s Giving Tuesday campaign, Immaculate Conception Church successfully raised $6,900 for Community Mediation Services, the 2021 recipient.
“We will make sure every dime is spent as effectively as possible to help people and set the stage for a positive future,” said CMS Executive Director Shelley Whalen, who received the check from Fr. Matt on Friday.
Thanks to an overwhelming amount of community support, IC exceeded its original goal of $6,000. With its mission of preventing homelessness, Whalen said that it costs them an average of $375 to keep a family in their home. With a donation of $6,900, about 18 families will be positively impacted.
“Generosity is a cornerstone of our Catholic faith. And an organization, like CMS, can prevent the emotional and financial pain of homelessness. We’re so pleased we could help them!”
According to Whalen, once a family is evicted it costs the community $5,000 to keep a family in a homeless shelter for 60 days. Preventing homelessness is far more cost effective.
“It’s cost effective, and we empower them. We educate our tenants about what they can do and then link them with community resources,” Whalen said.
Whalen said the emotional impact of preventing homelessness is incalculable.
“We’re just so grateful to the Immaculate Conception community. This donation will help so many families who are in desperate need,” Whalen said.
To learn more about Community Mediation Services, visit https://communitymediation.com/