Meet John
John, a 65 year-old veteran of the Vietnam War, has battled with severe obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression for much of his life. Then, in August 2016, John was the survivor of a brutal unprovoked attack, leaving him physically unable to care for himself and his home.
John’s physical and mental health struggles manifested into a hoarding disorder. The condition of his home became so dangerous that he was issued an eviction notice. With nowhere else to turn and facing homelessness, John came to Catholic Charities for help.
With the support of Carla, Director of Hoarding Intervention Services, the court delayed the eviction. Carla and her team worked around the clock to remove safety hazards from John’s apartment and established a six-month care plan.
John’s physical wounds have healed and he receives needed therapy to cope with his mental health issues. Today, John is living a happy, healthy and independent life.
Meet Clarice & Andrew
When it was time for Clarice and Andrew to bring their newborn daughter home from the hospital, their nursery room was uninhabitable. Bags filled with cartons, cans, and bottles were piled to the ceiling. Like their anxieties about being new parents, the couple ignored their clutter behind a locked door. As a result, the Public Health department would not allow their baby to be released from the hospital. They gave the couple the number for Catholic Charities’ Hoarding Intervention and Treatment Program, and Clarice made the call immediately.
Working alongside the couple, our team helped to declutter and clean. They helped Clarice and Andrew develop new home cleaning habits, and introduced coping skills to reduce anxiety. After a couple of weeks, their home was declared safe to bring their baby home. “The most helpful part of Catholic Charities’ service was the kindness we were shown,” said Clarice.