when you think you’re headed for financial trouble may help save your homefrom foreclosure. Losing a home can have a devastating emotional, physical and financial effect on families, and that has prompted one anti- poverty organization to offer assistance. “We are urging people to seek help now before the problem gets worse,” said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), whose member agencies assist nearly 8 million people in need every year. Catholic Charities nationwide are on the front lines of the mortgage crisis, offering a wide range of services such as homebuyer education; mortgage delinquency, reverse mortgage and foreclosure mitigation counseling; relocation counseling; and homelessness prevention. They are helping people such as Jess and Della Alfaro, who turned to Catholic Charities when they were having problems paying their mortgage. “When Jess and Della entered my office, they were at serious risk of losing their home,” said Coco Robinson, a housing counselor for Catholic Charities of Pueblo. “Fortunately, by working together, we were able to agree upon a payment plan with the mortgage company to put their payments back on track. It’s an incredible feeling to be part of the solution.” help new homeowners avoid many ofthe pitfalls that are causing millions to lose their homes. For those homes that cannot be saved from default, counselors work with the homeowners to lessen the financial impact of the loss and often help them make other living arrangements. Before You Buy A Home— Get Help According to CCUSA, homeowners who participate in prepurchasing counseling rarely default on their mortgages. The organization strongly en- courages future homebuyers to take advantageof counseling, which will help them understand their best options for buying a home and avoid manyof the pitfalls that are causing millions to lose their homes. “Prepurchasing counseling can help families stay on track so that the danger of losing a home can be avoided,” said Robinson. For more information, visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA. org/ housinghelp.
