By Eileen Connelly, OSU and David Eck

ARCHDIOCESE — The rewards of volunteering are many — from the good feeling you get from helping others — to learning new skills and growing personally from the relationships that develop.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Greater Cincinnati (SVDP) is currently in need of volunteers to assist in their mission of outreach to the poor. According to Liz Carter, the rising costs of basic needs such as gasoline and groceries have contributed to an increasing demand for the agency’s services. As a result of this heightened need, she said, it has become a challenge for SVDP to respond to the number of incoming client calls, and the agency is now appealing to the general public for assistance.

CT/E.L.HUBBARD

Catholic Social Services volunteer Meg Begley tells visitors about the food pantry during a recent open house in Dayton.

To help respond in a timely manner, SVDP needs either a fulltime or several part-time volunteers to handle incoming client calls, assess needs, schedule appointments and make referrals. Assistance is also needed greeting and assisting clients on SVDP’s walk-in days, Carter said. Training will be provided.

She spoke of the rewards of volunteering, saying, "It gives you the opportunity to learn something about your community that you didn’t know before. You also acquire a whole different picture of poverty when you’re dealing with a mother with two kids who lost her job and the family ended up out on the streets. You learn about yourself, what you care about and what it means to be a Catholic out in the real world following in Jesus’ footsteps."

To volunteer, call Sarah Gerrety at 513-562-8841, ext. 217.

While agencies in the Miami Valley are seeing more requests for assistance, they have enough volunteers to meet their needs. A tightening economy has led to more working families and elderly seeking aid, officials said.

"There’s certainly an increased need during the spring and summer months, particularly for families who have their children home," said Regina Estep, director of marketing and development for Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley. "The need for food is growing in the community and particularly…when children are home (from school) and there’s more demand on the budget."

The agency received 9,016 requests for food assistance last year, and officials expect more than 10,000 this year, Estep said.

In most households by the time rent, utilities and gasoline costs are paid, there is less money left for food, Estep said. In a vicious cycle, increased fuel costs are leading to higher food prices.

"I think the fuel costs are probably reflected in the food budgets," Estep said. "There’s a dramatic increase in food cost that is directly attributable to the fuel costs. The outlook is stark for those who are poor and those who are struggling to make ends meet."

She said an $8-10 an hour wage simply isn’t enough to support a family, particularly in the current economic climate.

In order to help meet the demand, CSS is turning to area foodbanks and parishes.

"We’re trying harder to provide more nutritionally balanced food," she said. "It’s important for the health of our community to do the best we can to provide supplemental food for the poor that’s nutritious and available in sufficient quantity."

St. Vincent dePaul in Dayton is seeing an increase in the number of homeless families. Since January, they are averaging 16 families per night with a total of 25 children, said Leigh Sempeles, executive director. It’s a dramatic increase.

Requests for food and cash assistance are also up in the northern regions of the archdiocese.

Catholic Social Services in Springfield has seen the number of people coming into its three food pantries increase by 17.4 percent in the first quarter of 2008 over the same quarter of 2007, said Vince Chase, regional director. During the same period, the amount of food donations has dropped 12.7 percent.

Requests for cash assistance are up 11.3 percent.

"We’re seeing lots of single parents with children," Chase said. "They may not be getting all their hours, or gas prices and food prices are putting a pinch on them."

In a downturn, companies tend to send people home early, which affects incomes of working poor, Chase said. At the same time, corporate donations decrease in soured economy.

"It’s not very pleasant for low-income people right now," Chase said. "It’s very hard."