Neighbors in Need
WHO WE HELP
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The Michael Clements Mini Loan Program applies to Neighbors in Need within the three
Fullerton parishes including St. Marys, St. Juliana Falconieri, and St. Philip Benizi Catholic Churches.
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This program targets those most at risk of becoming homeless or unhoused. The strategy is to
help Neighbors in need gain control of their spiraling debt or provide the necessary funds for
housing rental deposits. These Neighbors in need must verify a monthly income based on
employment to repay the loan and accept training in financial literacy that includes budgeting.
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Participation in the mini loan program does not exclude them from other St. Vincent de Paul
charities that include food, vouchers, utilities, car registration, or auto repairs.
The Neighbors in Need are identified during food pantry distributions and by referrals through
friends and neighbors, landlords, city outreach coordinators, police, and the parish community at
large. Direct contact and briefings as well as flyers will be used to communicate and update
these groups.
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OUTREACH
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Outreach will occur during home visits to deliver food by Saint Vincent de Paul (SVdP)
members, and through communications during pantry food distribution days within the parishes.
This is where most request for rent, utilities, transportation, and clothing support is requested
and specific needs established.
The opportunities to communicate and offer this loan program
will be effective since neighbors in need often return on a weekly basis for food and other
resources and make their needs known. When any financial support is being requested, the Mini
Loan Program will be offered, and this low interest loan can be explained. At that point, an
SVdP volunteer may make one or more home visits to evaluate the neighbor’s circumstances,
their financial proficiency, employment status, and other relevant information. A need case and
an ability to repay as well as the financial assessment will be assembled by the visiting
volunteer.
An assessment will then be forwarded and reviewed by the Tri Parish Loan
Committee. If a recommendation to provide a loan is made, it will be forwarded to the banking
institution. Upon receipt of the recommendation to fund the loan, the bank will contact the loan
applicant and initiate the formal paperwork. The repayment agreement will be signed by the
applicant and the loan will be fully executed. The loan check will be made payable to the
appropriate payee (not directly to the Neighbor in Need). The banking institution will collect,
and record payments and the Tri Parish Loan institution Liaisons will monitor any issues, late
payment, or missing payments.
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Our neighbors in need will benefit from this program by avoiding payday loans, title loans, and
other predatory loan organizations to meet their financial needs. In addition, they would avoid
the bureaucracy of large financial institutions, including the banks ’critique of their negative
credit history and the higher interest rates charged because of this. Once paid off, however, the
participating banks will report on their payment history and the neighbors in need will see their
credit ratings increase.
"Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly"
-Micah 6:8