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CHARITY DOES WHAT JUSTICE CANNOT
People with Various, Serious Needs Keep Volunteers Busy
Marcia Fung opened the door of her
Arlington Heights ( Illinois ) home to answer my questions about how her volunteers help "friends in need
" in her upper middle class community . The 77-year-old grandmother
escorted me into a home decorated
with modest and tasteful furniture and
cheerful knickknacks and wall hangings that reflected social
warmth.
We talked for at least an hour about
her 4 ½ years as president of the local , church- affiliated St. Vincent de Paul Society. The Society is an international volunteer organization in the Catholic Church that was founded in 1833 by the French visionary Frederic Ozanam . Today the goal of its 800,000 worldwide members is not only to serve the poor but also to sanctify their volunteers through their charitable works. Ozanam's wish was that St, Vincent de PaulSociety's service to the poor would do what justice cannot or does not do .
Since the
organization's arrival l5 years ago at Marcia's church , St. James, its
volunteers, she said, has
aided 3,253 problem-stricken local residents
confront a vast variety of needs. This has been done with
monetary aid for mortgage and car payments as well as apartment
rent, utility and telephone bills. "Each client once every three months is given three $25 supermarket gift cards, which can be used for
both groceries or pharmacy needs , " Marcia
said. "If, after three months, they need
more of these grocery gift cards, they can call us . We do not
check upon them once we have vetted them and visited their homes to
inspect their living conditions. We do trust them and try
not to invade their privacy, but we do review their
rental agreements. "
If
a client's needs are "too far from our means," Marcia said, we refer
them to the local Catholic Charities office. "
Many of their needs are medical. Also, family relationships are very
difficult for these people. " Sometimes we pray for them or
with them , if they ask . "
"
You've said that your volunteers provide a unique charity , " I
said. " How so?"
"
Our volunteers are personally involved with our clients
, " she replied. "We
visit their homes and really listen to their
problems. Listening is a vital skill that our volunteers
learn and enhance each time they meet a new client. Listening serves
to comfort our clients almost as much as our financial services." She
related the case of a male client who badly needed a
mattress. "One of the volunteers went shopping with
him and they purchased a mattress for $700. " Then,
with a low chuckle, she added, "He was a large man."
We
talked about the 45 volunteers who make
up four teams ; each team is "on
call" for one week each month. "Before COVID-19 ,"
she said, "we would average 20 to 30 calls
per month . Now our call volume averages 10 to 15 calls per month, largely due to government aid to our clients, such as
from those "stimulus" checks of $1,200 . In
recent months, we have not been getting calls
from 'our regulars ' . "
Nearly
all of the operating and charity-giving revenue for the
St.James-based St. Vincent de Paul Society comes from
proceeds from the annual St, James Gala
event, "Jubilation."
 |
| Marcia Fung |
Marcia works from her home. She is married , and she and he husband Richard have raised a son and daughter. She graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane , Washington, where she grew up . For 25 years she worked as a computer programmer for the Motorola company, For recreation she does water exercises.
Last
on our interview agenda was to learn what
motivated Marcia Fung to volunteer for a charity which
often keeps her busy 24-7. "I used to help sick people, " she
explained. "I've always enjoyed helping people.
" She then
paused to recall a client whom it seemed she
would not forget. It was a young single mother who came
from a Balkan country to Arlington Heights in 2016 with a kindergarten-age son.
Marcia told me the woman had divorced an abusive husband,
since graduated from college with a pharmaceutical degree, and
now needed an apartment and financial aid to raise and educate her
son. She eventually found a one bedroom apartment and
residents in her building to care for her son while she
worked during the day as a pharmacy aide . She walked to work until
she could afford to purchase a bicycle.
"
A number of our volunteers visited her during 2016 and were
impressed with her tenacity in finding help, " Marcia
said. "She had grit. We all prayed for her, she was open to
that . By the end of 2016, she was independent and
no longer needed our help ! "
Marcia
closed our interview with, "We like to see our clients
become independent but many are in a situation where they will never
be complete independent. "
A
St. James woman offered this remark : "Marcia's volunteers will
always be busy doing good work that serves the poor and often their souls
."
The End
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