Footsteps/Service Guidance: Esteban’s Story
Esteban is one of many clients who have benefited from our new Service Guidance process to ensure the option of multiple services – not just support in a single area of need – for those seeking economic mobility and critical resources, like food and housing. Part of the Footsteps initiative of the current Catholic Charities Strategic Plan, Service Guidance is a model that helps entire families improve their lives and get the resources specific to their unique needs.
Living with his sister and her two children in the Santee neighborhood, Esteban works in a warehouse and has also volunteered through Catholic Charities. Their family has received food assistance, immigration legal services and also guidance to a social services center in San Jose for health care coverage. Esteban, who is not only an uncle but also the father figure to his niece and nephew, participated in a parenting workshop held at our Educare Family Resource Center called 24/7 Dads. He also attended meetings with fellow community members at one of our Family Resource Centers to give feedback to Catholic Charities staff on what the collective needs are and how Catholic Charities could support them and their neighbors.
“Catholic Charities is a safe place that our family can trust to help us find answers to our questions and the resources to make our lives better,” Esteban said.
