As the recession took a toll on many families nationwide and locally, social service agencies began to see more and more people asking for help for the first time.
“We were seeing families who had never accessed services before, families who had always been employed, maybe with two incomes, whose hours had been cut or were now living off of just one income,” said Sandra Hollett, chief executive officer for the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults.
These families, she said, “were living like they still had the same level of income and were getting into some financial troubles as well as stress and family problems.”
Several local nonprofit organizations, including the Partnership, met last year and agreed a counselor was needed to help families with budgeting and money management, Mrs. Hollett said.
An anonymous grant for $60,000 funded Linda Rath’s position as a family financial counselor for one year, Mrs. Rath said.
“The main objective is to keep people productive and from falling into a situation where they have long-term social service problems,” said Mrs. Rath, retired chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Moccasin Bend Council. “We want to maintain people in their homes, help them survive the recession until they find jobs.”
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES* Hamilton County: Dec. 2009, 8.9 percent; Dec. 2008, 6.4 percent* Marion County: Dec. 2009, 12.2 percent; Dec. 2008, 8.9 percent* Sequatchie County: Dec. 2009, 13 percent; Dec. 2008, 7.3Source: Tennessee Department of LaborFAMILY FINANCIAL COUNSELING* Tuesdays: Good Shepherd Outreach Ministries, 8805 Consolidated Drive, Soddy-Daisy, 423-332-6012 or 423-332-7416.* Wednesdays: Chattanooga Career Center, 5600 Brainerd Road, Eastgate Town Center, Suite A5, 423-894-5354.* Thursdays: Northside Neighborhood House, 211 Minor St., 423- 267-2217.* For more information or to make an appointment, call Linda Rath at the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults, 423-421-1367, or at Consumer Credit Counseling, 423-490-5620.
Since December, when the program was launched, she has helped 25 clients with resumes, credit checks and loan modifications, she said.
Unemployment has continued to rise throughout the region.
“For the past year, it seems like each month there would be more new people coming in needing help than we ever had before,” said Donna Peters, director of Good Shepherd Outreach Ministries.
“This program (with Mrs. Rath) is going to help them get through this recession we are going through right now,” Ms. Peters said.
Good Shepherd Outreach Ministries is one of three sites that Mrs. Rath visits weekly to reach out to the community.
The service is free, and Mrs. Rath said she can work with families for as long as it takes, although most cases are resolved within six months.