We
recently expanded our services to include a medical component, thanks to a
collaboration with Cathedral Health Services. Once a month, the CHS volunteer
doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, translators and other trained volunteers
come to ICM for a free medical clinic. For more information,
click here.
Another
service we provide is case management for those clients who are having problems
with housing, employment, disability or social security payments, food stamps
and other life’s necessities.
The nation’s recession has been very hard on our clients,
and we’ve seen solidly middle class families coming for help for the first time
in their lives:
Angela came to ICM because her husband lost his job as a construction supervisor when the recession worsened. She worked for the Maricopa County Prosecutor, but had her hours cut back. “We can’t live on one 30-hour job,” she said. ICM was able to provide her food and other basic needs that day, and helped her husband find temporary work in construction.
Jeff is a young man with a new job who came to ICM after he was beaten and
robbed of his wallet, which contained his rent money. He needed food and other
daily necessities, but was very worried about paying his rent because he had
gotten an eviction notice. The ICM case manager helped John work out the rent
situation with his landlord, and talked him through his trauma of being robbed
and not having a place to stay. Jeff came back later, grateful he had made the
connection to help.
Cindy brought clothing donations to ICM. When asked how she knew us, she said
she had been a client here a couple of years ago. The family had no income at
that time; her baby didn’t have formula or other food, and her little boys were
also hungry. ICM volunteers had “blessed” her with food and clothing during
that visit, and she hadn’t forgotten us.
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER!