Catholic Charities of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties

PALM SPRINGS, CA – On February 2nd, when most families were settling down to dinner, tenants at the Lola Palms Apartment Complex scrambled with flashlights and candles to gather up their belongings. Set against a night of freezing weather, 38 families in Palm Springs were becoming homeless with less than three days notice. Many of the low-income families had nowhere to turn for help.
Catholic Charities was contacted by the City of Palms Springs and the County of Riverside Housing Authority. “We were informed that there were families, most with children, in desperate need of help,” said Jessica Meza, Senior Caseworker for Catholic Charities in Indio. “Many of the families needed immediate shelter and food. They were living in apartments without electricity or heat. ”

According to the newspaper, the Desert Sun, “City officials became aware of the situation in December after passersby complained of a stench emanating from the building. Among a list of issues, building officials found rat droppings, boarded and broken windows and electrical wires in standing water. Residents said they had no hot water.”

“This type of timely response by Catholic Charities brought our motto of ‘Providing Help, Creating Hope’ home to the shaken and distraught families,” commented Ken F. Sawa, CEO of Catholic Charities. “Catholic Charities was able to make an immediate impact on a terrible situation for these families. We were able to relocate seven families into permanent housing within 24 hours. Motel vouchers were provided to all but seven families, and 22 families received needed food vouchers to assist them during their transition.”

Shortly after being notified by city and county officials, four caseworkers from Catholic Charities were offered temporary space to do their work at the Riverside County Fair Housing Council. Catholic Charities staff met with the displaced tenants and provided housing relocation opportunities, motel vouchers, food vouchers, advocacy, information and resources.

Annually, Catholic Charities provides a range of social services to over 17,000 households benefiting nearly 50,000 individuals throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Over 6,000 of these households reside in the Coachella Valley and receive help in multiple locations throughout the desert.