In December of 2020, Catholic Charities West Virginia Martinsburg Program Assistant Siobhán Bertone received a letter in the mail from an inmate at the Eastern Regional Jail (ERJ). “Ann,” who is nearly 70, had been incarcerated for 14 months, and her release date was quickly approaching. She had no family or friends nearby, nowhere to...
Category: Blog
Progress through the Pandemic: The Fecat Family’s Story
Catholic Charities West Virginia’s Birth to Three RAU-1 program works with families and specialists to decide which supports and services are needed for children ages birth to three who have a delay in their development or may be at risk for a delay. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we have continued providing services to families. Elise...
From Retired Chef to Valued Kitchen Volunteer
On Monday mornings at the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center in Wheeling, you can find Barbara Gabis in the kitchen preparing meals for those in need. When Barbara retired as a chef, she offered her talents to the staff at the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center. “Barbara’s warmth and good humor are very much appreciated by the...
Building a Better Future
By Katie Hinerman Klug, Catholic Charities West Virginia Marketing Communications Specialist West Virginia resident Amanda Cowgill had dropped out of high school and started a family at a young age. Although her family was struggling, she refused to be defined by her situation. “At the lowest point in my life, I asked myself if I...
Empowering Miss Paulette
By Trina Bartlett, Catholic Charities West Virginia Eastern Regional Director Before Paulette arrived at Catholic Charities West Virginia’s Martinsburg office, she had, in her own words, “been in several shelters, homeless programs, counseling, jail and the psych ward.” The first assistance Catholic Charities provided for Paulette was acquiring a C PAP machine in March 2019,...
Helping Camden Hug
By Jade Jeffers, Catholic Charities West Virginia Birth to Three Parent Partner My son, Camden, was born in April of 2013 at just over 35 weeks gestation. I was over the moon excited to meet the little life that had I had been nurturing for just shy of nine months. He was considered premature and...
Compassionate Care Helps Walter Stay at Home
By Katie Hinerman Klug Walter Scott loves his home in Chester, WV. For over 20 years, he has enjoyed the beautiful view from his apartment overlooking the Ohio River. In 2015, Walter began dealing with multiple cancer diagnoses and treatments, and the activities of daily living were becoming too difficult for him. With no family...
Immigrants Nancy and Marion Receive Lawful Permanent Residence Cards with Help from Catholic Charities
By Caitlyn Kinsey, Catholic Charities West Virginia Migration and Refugee Services Intern Nancy and Marion, a mother and daughter duo, are two amazingly bright, kind, and hardworking clients whom Catholic Charities West Virginia’s Migration and Refugee Services program has recently had the pleasure to serve. Despite facing obstacles such as a language barrier and a...
Debra Reached Her Goals with Help from Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities Adult Learner Graduates and Completes Licensed Practical Nurse Program By Chad Porter, Center for Community Learning and Advancement Outreach Coordinator/AmeriCorps VISTA Debra Bunch, a former student at Catholic Charities West Virginia Center for Community Learning and Advancement (CCLA) in Huntington, visited the CCLA to report that she had just received her Licensed Practical...