Whether it’s providing information, assisting with basic needs or offering educational programs, helping people rise from poverty into their own self-sufficiency has always been at the heart of Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County. Now entering its 80th year of service to Ashtabula County, “Our mission is to provide love and hope to anyone who walks through our doors, giving them the opportunity to thrive. We look at every person as if Jesus was walking through our doors,” said Jill Valentic, executive director of Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County.
The agency’s first meeting was held on October 12, 1944, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ashtabula (now part of Our Lady of Peace Parish). Originally known as the Catholic Service League, the independent agency was created by members of the Catholic Church as an adoption and child welfare agency to serve children needing loving homes and offer basic needs assistance in the county.
In the 1990s, the agency added other programming dictated by the emerging needs of the community. “There was a call for helping others who were very vulnerable in different ways, and that’s when the guardianship and representative payeeship programs started,” Valentic noted.
As time went on, consolidating with the Diocese of Youngstown became the focus, as a more formal approach. In 2001, it was incorporated as Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County (CCAC). “That’s when we became part of the Diocese of Youngstown as a Catholic Charities corporation. It became more a piece of the diocese,” Valentic stated.
CCAC serves many clients who have a limited support system in life.
“We’re the charity arm of the Church,” she said. “Listening to our clients and each household’s unique needs helps us look at our programs and services and evaluate what is in the best interest of Ashtabula County. There might be gaps in the system of care, and we may consider putting more of our strengths to address those gaps or connect our client to another community agency that can help with their situation.”
Those served by CCAC come from varied family structures. They may have experienced trauma, economic downturns or fall within those gaps in the system of care. “Not one person who walks through our doors has the same struggles. We work with each person who walks through our doors in a person-centered approach. We’re there to provide the first step … to help with our tools and programming to help stabilize and put them in a better position in the long term. The key is trying to figure how each client can work toward personal self-sufficiency, given those difficult times,” Valentic said.
While the agency’s clients face many challenges, Valentic stressed that working with clients is not a challenge for the agency. “Our only challenge is making people understand that all are welcome to walk through our doors and know we’re here to provide resources and services and help them through their journey without any feeling of judgment. We want to give each person the opportunity to come in, talk to one of our caseworkers or supervisors and help them feel that they’re part of the plan,” Valentic stated.
In the past, the agency focused on offering one-time assistance to a client or household. However, Valentic said, “We found if someone came needing utility assistance to pay their water bill, that was a symptom of a bigger household issue.”
Today, CCAC provides more case management time to help clients discover the cause of their difficulties and develop goals to address the issue. “We may be helping them with multiple grants and services to help them rise out of their situation or strengthen their situation toward self-sufficiency. We meet with the majority of our clients multiple times throughout the year to help them maintain their independence.” Services include budget counseling, being available as a resource and identifying unrecognized needs as well as providing monetary assistance.
In 2023, CCAC served 7,538 unduplicated clients and 3,373 unduplicated households.
Twenty-two employees assist these clients and households with their individual needs. Valentic herself is a 20-year veteran of CCAC. She was hired as the program manager for the guardianship and payeeship programs, became the assistant director and, for the past five years, has been the executive director. Working with every program of CCAC, Valentic understands its clients, changes in the community and the need for CCAC’s programs.
“Our [hope is] that community members who are listening to us will help us with our goals and that our goals will continue serving Ashtabula County,” Valentic concluded.
CCAC receives funding from the annual Diocesan Appeal, Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Board, Housing and Human Development (HUD), local levies and contracts that support all the programs as well as individual contributions.
To commemorate CCAC’s 80th anniversary, the agency is planning its first annual bocce tournament to be held on August 31 at the Sons of Italy in Ashtabula. “We’re inviting the community to sign up their teams and play some bocce, bring the community together,” Valentic said.
The agency will also hold its yearly HALO (Holiday Angels Loving Others) Dinner Gala on November 9 at Our Lady of Peace Community Center. This event is CCAC’s Christmas fundraiser.
Valentic expressed her pride in representing the Catholic Church as executive director of Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County. “I like to thank everyone who supports Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County through the annual diocesan appeal, along with those who have been supportive of us through volunteering, donations or prayers. It is greatly appreciated,” she said.
Services Provided by Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County:
1. Basic needs assistance—food vouchers, emergency food assistance, clothing, prescriptions, baby needs, personal hygiene and household items
2. Housing/homelessness assistance—emergency shelter, utility assistance and rental/ security deposit assistance
3. Financial Literacy/Budget Counseling—education through individual or group sessions
4. Down Payment Assistance—grant availability dependent upon funds available
5. Foreclosure Assistance—counseling for those who have fallen behind on mortgage payments, counselor to serve as an intermediary between client and lender
6. Opening Doors—educating parents about child development and their role in preparing children for kindergarten
7. Guardianship—a legal relationship for older adults and adults with special needs who are indigent and lack available, appropriate family to fill this role and who are vulnerable to physical, mental and financial abuse or exploitation
8. Representative Payeeship—casework and money management for mentally disabled adults who cannot manage their own finances
Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County is located at 4200 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, and it is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 440-992-2121, email or visit the website to learn more.
