July 1, 2009

Catholic Charities new center increases aid to community

Catholic Charities new Aurora Community Assistance Center, located in Suite 156 at 1300 S. Potomac St. in Aurora, was dedicated the morning of June 9 by Denver Auxiliary Bishop James Conley.

The center was opened to serve the increasing needs of the Aurora, Arapahoe County and Adams County communities.  The center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 pm.  It replaces the aging Aurora and Northeast Assistance Centers and expands Catholic Charities’ capacity to deliver emergency assistance and collateral services in the community, administrators said.

Last October, Catholic Charities consolidated the services of its Southwest and Central emergency assistance centers at the new Byers Place Center.  Following the opening, Byers Place showed a marked improvement in service delivery and capacity in meeting needs than the two centers it replaced, officials said. Catholic Charities anticipates similar if not more profound results with the opening of the Aurora Community Assistance Center.

“We believe we have discovered a better, more efficient way to help people in need, said Geoff Bennett, Catholic Charities’ vice president of Shelter and Community Outreach. “We are encouraged by the results we attained with the consolidation of services in Denver and Jefferson Counties at the Byers Place Emergency Assistance Center last fall. We are confident that we can do better and help more people with higher-functioning centers.”

Services available at the new site include assistance with rent, mortgages and utilities, as well as bus tokens, a food bank, victims assistance, counseling and a clothing bank.