CHATFIELD, MN, April 5, 2018. Help Our Neighbors (HON), a long-running non-profit is poised to increase local services by becoming a program of Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota through their Active Aging Programs. Founded in 2012, Help Our Neighbors provides Chatfield area seniors and their caregivers with the services and resources needed to live independently and remain active in the community.

“After six years in operation it became clear that the local program model of Help Our Neighbors could no longer be sustained due to increased administrative burden and organizational capacity required to secure and maintain program funding as well as manage day-to-day operations.” said Bill Sullivan, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Chatfield area seniors and their caregivers will be better poised to receive the services they depend on as Catholic Charities takes on current services, with an eye toward expansion to additional communities in Fillmore County in the near future.”

Catholic Charities is a nationally-recognized nonprofit with 14 years of experience serving Seniors of all denominations and faiths. These two organizations have previously worked together with great success in offering Common Good RSVP and SAIL (formerly known as Bone Builders) to Chatfield. This new partnership will allow HON to widely expand services; offer more office hours; bring evidenced-based learning to the community; and access all the resources of a much larger organization. Through this transition, HON will dissolve its 501(c)(3) non-profit with the State of MN and change their name to “Age Well at Home – Fillmore County”. The current Board will remain in an advisory capacity and continue to help develop programming, fundraising, and outreach to the community. All current HON programs and services will continue without interruption as they work with Catholic Charities to transition services throughout April of 2018.

The organizations are hosting a community gathering to celebrate the accomplishments of Help Our Neighbors and share their vision for carrying on the legacy of Help Our Neighbors through Catholic Charities’ Active Aging Programs. The event will be held on Thursday, April 12, 2018 at Chatfield Lutheran Church. A short program will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by light refreshments.  Help Our Neighbors’ partners, volunteers, and the public are invited and encouraged to attend.

Robert Tereba, Executive Director of Catholic Charities, commented, “We have valued our partnership with Help Our Neighbors through our Common Good RSVP program and our Wellness Programs for older adults (Stay Active and Independent for Life – formerly Bone Builders) for nearly four years. We are honored to carry on the good work of Help Our Neighbors as it aligns well with our mission and the services provided by our Age Well at Home program currently offered in Winona County.”

Catholic Charities’ experienced staff, Sue Degallier, Active Aging Program Administrator, and Bernie Merchlewitz, Age Well at Home Program Administrator, will work closely with Julie Fryer, Executive Director of Help Our Neighbors, to ensure a smooth transition of services for current clients and volunteers. Additionally, Catholic Charities is hiring a Program Coordinator that will be based in Chatfield for 32 hours per week.  Information regarding the position is available at www.ccsomn.org/employment.

Serving the poor and marginalized regardless of age, gender, ethnic background, or faith tradition, Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota is a not-for-profit corporation of the State of Minnesota. Incorporated in 1947, Catholic Charities enjoys tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.