Christian Action Ministry (CAM) offers a range of services to people in need.
Direct services include providing food, clothing, payment for medication, assistance in procuring birth certificates and IDs—documents that cost money that our clients do no have—as well as providing sack lunches and an address for mail for the homeless. The impact of the economic downturn has been very evident in two ways—many first-time clients and countless people unable to pay bills.
On the afternoon of the last Monday in July, eight different families came into the CAM facility for the first time. All were seeking food assistance. In all cases, a parent had lost employment and the family’s monthly allotment of food stamps was exhausted. All eight families left with bags of food.
A woman with three children, now living at the SAMM Shelter, came in because her ID had been stolen one night when she was sleeping on the street. This mother expressed her determination to create a better life for her girls. She had secured part-time employment and had signed a contract with the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA). However, she could not take possession of her apartment without an identification document. Once SAHA confirmed the woman’s need for an ID, CAM provided the check.
A male resident of Haven for Hope arrived all excited that he had gotten a job. However, the job mandated that he wear steel-toed shoes. After confirming his impending employment, CAM was able to provide the man with a voucher for use at Payless Shoes.
A Spanish-speaking man came in because his employer had moved from downtown to North Austin Highway. He had relied on his bicycle to get to work, but now the distance was too great. A bilingual volunteer confirmed the man’s employment situation, and CAM provided him with a week’s worth of bus passes, until he received his next paycheck.
A homeless woman brought in a prescription for cream to treat a skin
condition. Her arms were scratched raw. After confirming both the prescription and cost with the pharmacy, CAM provided a check to pay for the medication.
A woman came in with year-old twin boys, her grandsons. Her son had been killed in Afghanistan three months earlier, and his wife had driven from North Carolina to leave the children on her mother-in-law’s front porch. The grandmother was quite overwhelmed. CAM was able to provide the grandmother with diapers and clothing for the boys. The CAM counselor also arranged for an interview at the YMCA childcare facility near the woman’s home.
An important role of CAM is to provide information regarding other agencies and other sources of assistance.
The 40 school uniforms and backpacks that CAM procured were all given out in just two hours. Subsequently, many parents have come into the facility requesting help with school clothing. CAM provided a handout with all the back-to-school events in the community, as well as the United Way number to call to learn about assistance closest to their home.
An African-American father of three explained that he had been laid off six weeks earlier. Although he had applied for food stamps, there was a delay in receiving that government assistance. Tearfully he said, “My kids are hungry. Can you help?” He left with a bag of groceries and information regarding where he can take his children to eat as part of the Summer Nutrition Program of the San Antonio Food Bank.
A 75-year-old White woman reported to the reception desk and burst into tears. “I can’t go on,” she announced. A CAM counselor visited with her and learned that she had recently buried her daughter and grandson, victims of a car accident. Funeral expenses took the money that she would normally use for her expenses. She held a CPS shut-off notice and an overdue rent notice. The counselor, an ordained minister, prayed with the woman and calmed her. He provided a list of resources for rent support and via telephone and negotiated a payment postponement with CPS because the woman had never defaulted previously.
~Written by Susan Keehn
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