Game Changing donations

Catholic Charities Fort Worth staff Taylor Mull, Liliana Huerta, and Rita Gauthier stand in the food pantry at CCFW’s Northwest office. (NTC/Bertha Salazar)

FORT WORTH — Since 2022, Game Changers, a Catholic Charities Fort Worth donor program, has provided immediate assistance to CCFW clients encountering unexpected barriers on their journey from poverty to financial self-sufficiency.

In the past, Game Changers has helped with car repairs, tires, utilities, childcare, or gas for travel to school or work. Now, Game Changers also helps clients facing food insecurity.

Cindy Casey, head of CCFW Client Services, sees a trend toward food insecurity in the current economic environment. She explained that as food costs have skyrocketed, CCFW clients have experienced increasing difficulty obtaining federal benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Child Care Management Services, a state-funded program that pays a percentage of childcare costs.

Casey said many CCFW clients are single moms with young children. To work, they need a job, transportation, and childcare.  

“But all the childcare funds are drying up,” she said, adding that some clients have lost their CCMS benefits. Currently, 35 clients are on the CCMS waiting list.

“Without help with food, they will use apartment funds for food,” Casey explained. “Game Changers allows us to help single moms feed their kids while they look to extend their incomes with federal benefits like SNAP or by getting a better paying job. We work with both.”  

Game Changers are donors waiting to be asked to help when situations arise that would be a “game changer” for clients participating in long-term case management.

With Game Changers, CCFW doesn’t have to look for funds; the help is already there, Casey said.

CCFW Fund Development Manager Francine Speer-Stratman said recipients include clients who are in case management and moms participating in Gabriel Project for expectant and new mothers. 

“They are working on a goal and [the donors] are removing barriers to that goal,” Speer-Stratman said. “Case managers develop a plan with them when they get financial assistance. It’s strategic assistance because it’s part of a plan.”

“The money goes right where they need it, right when they need it,” she continued, “because the case manager lets us know. They’ve been planning carefully, and they just need some ‘oomph’ to get over the edge.”

Help with food insecurity could be a Walmart gift card for groceries or a connection with a nearby food pantry. But sometimes assistance is not providing food, but removing another barrier so they can buy food, Speer-Stratman explained.

“So, we pay for half the rent and the client is able to buy the food they need and pay off their debt so they can buy their own groceries the next month,” she said.

“Game Changers is so powerful,” she added. “You’re getting the impact because the staff is there to help [clients] plan.” 

Volunteer, contribute to, or learn more about Catholic Charities Fort Worth by visiting CatholicCharitiesFortWorth.org.