The mission of the Good Samaritan Ministry (Good Sams) is to provide immediate financial assistance to those experiencing dire circumstances while connecting them to case management agencies that can provide longer term assistance. Good Sams helps families in crisis. This assistance stabilizes a volatile situation to allow time for planning a lasting solution. These life-altering changes include re-entering the workforce, finding affordable housing, securing affordable life-giving medications or providing for children’s daily needs. Our financial assistance steadies the crisis and our collaboration with social services partners allows us to educate clients on the available programs that can help them prevent the crisis in the future.
Since 1993 we have been helping all races, genders, and ethnic groups in low income socio-economic status and anyone impacted by a life altering crisis in Slidell, Alton, and Pearl River, LA. In fiscal years ending 2010 and 2011, the number of families given aid by category included but not limited to:
Category FYE 2011 FYE 2010
Housing Assistance 341 311
Utility Assistance 384 376
Medical, Gasoline and Other Financial Assistance 131 126
Project Christmas 256 140
Thanksgiving 125 110
Emergency Food Bank 460 462
School Supplies 176 107
The funds from the 2012 “Raising the Roof for Charity Raffle House would be used primarily for housing the homeless, preventing evictions and utility cut-offs, and paying other bills of basic necessity. We anticipate a greater need in our community due to the economy and its impact on funding for all kinds of emergency aid organizations. Because Good Sams has a proven process for verifying needs, collaborates with other local charities, and has systems in place to decrease fraud and streamline operations, grant money can be totally directed to efficiently address the needs of the poor. While serving a growing population we are also experiencing rising costs. The grant could help us provide the neediest with a few extra dollars over the current per family limit of $250. The program will continue to work with all area St. Vincent De Paul programs, The Slidell Housing Authority, St. Tammany Community Action Agency, St. Tammany Commission on Families, Northlake Homeless Coalition, American Postal Workers Union, East St. Tammany Project Christmas, Renewed Hope, Louisiana Works Career Solutions, Associated Catholic Charities, Christian Community Concern, local shelters, local schools, and charities to reach long-lasting and sustaining solutions while giving hope for an immediate need.A special project for 2011-2012 fiscal year is to finance an addition for the Caring Center,Slidell’s only transitional housing program for women and children. The expansion will provide three additional bedrooms to the current facility of five bedrooms, thus increasing their capacity by 60%. This project is budgeted at $ 50,000 and will incorporate many charitable donations of time and materials to make it a success.