by Katie Patrick
Several years ago, I remember sitting around having conversations with my peers saying, If only every nonprofit in Lincoln could do one thing really well, then we could definitely eliminate poverty.
For example, if an organization that provides childcare would excel at just that instead of also trying to run biweekly food distributions, that would be best. If only an organization that just provided daily food distribution to those living on limited resources instead of also trying to assist families with rental assistance, that would be best. And if an organization that just provided rental assistance instead of also trying to provide legal services to those being taken advantage of by shady landlords, that would be best.
But lo and behold, at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, we provide food, clothing, shelter, legal services, protection for survivors of domestic violence, and much more. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Meet Paw Lah. She is a young mother of three who arrived seven years ago from Myanmar (formerly Burma). Paw Lah and her husband were resettled by CSS. Through the refugee resettlement program, CSS secured for her family their first apartment, connected them to schools and doctors, and helped her husband find a job. Upon arrival, CSS also stocked their first apartment full of familiar staples including rice, chicken, and vegetables.
As the years went by, Paw Lah’s husband became violent and abusive. Being unfamiliar with the laws in this country, she was uncertain how to report his behavior to the authorities. Sometimes, when he was violent, neighbors would call the police, and when they arrived, the husband would accuse Paw Lah of inciting the argument. He also often called the police himself, accusing her of crimes and causing her further psychological trauma. Because she spoke very poor English, she often didn’t understand that the accusations he made against her would someday cost her her chance of becoming a U.S. citizen.
Last year, Paw Lah could no longer take the abuse and she went with her children to the local women’s shelter. CSS received a call from their office asking if we had an opening at St. Gianna’s Home in Lincoln. We did, and Paw Lah was able to move in just a couple days later. Her husband tracked her phone, so we got her a new phone. Her husband followed her and broke into her car, so we got her a new car. When she became eligible for U.S. citizenship this year, even though she was never convicted, all the domestic disturbances that were reported showed up as penalties against her, so our Immigration Legal Services Program Manager Drew Miller collected the evidence needed to remove these barriers and successfully helped her file her naturalization application.
The reason that I am sharing this story with you is because our ability to help Paw Lah receive her U.S. Citizenship started seven years ago when we picked her up from the Lincoln airport. It continued when we took her kids to school for the first time and brought food to her home. When Miller encouraged her to keep practicing her English for the citizenship test, that too started more than a year ago when she came to my office in tears after having left her husband. I am also proud to say that our Employment Specialist Mike Fitzgerald helped her find a job, so that she could support her children and retain full custody. We have been building a trusting relationship with Paw Lah for years. And that is what positioned us to be at the right place, at the right time, for when Paw Lah needed us.
You can see how many people—and services—it has taken CSS to help Paw Lah. In the nonprofit world, we call these "wraparound" services, when we encounter our clients and provide them most of what they need to get back up on their feet. Sometimes, it's just a food basket, but oftentimes it's much more than one thing we provide. It’s food, it’s shelter, it's a job, ultimately it’s hope. It’s many services, together —all of which we provide at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska.
