Alexandria Utility Customers and Interfaith Ministries Wanting Answers from City about High Bills
The Alexandria City Council this week got an earful from folks who say their utility bills have gotten out of hand, leading to more people getting cut off. As ABC 31 News Reporter Joel Massey shows us, the problem has become so wide-spread, it’s got people organizing to demand action.
Reverand Clifford Person is the pastor at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church on Houston Street in Alexandria. He says that many in his congregation and the community are struggling to pay their bills.
“There is some emotion involved nobody wants to go without utilities, nobody wants to move out of a house and become homeless.”
He’s a member of a group called Interfaith Ministries made up of many different congregations around Central Louisiana of many different faiths. Since July of 2022 they have partnered with Cenla Community Action and the city to provide emergency assistance to Alexandria ratepayers.
“As far as Interfaith goes we want to try to be a mediator, a third person or third party neutral. We have no stake in the game other than trying to make it better for the citizens and for those who are a part of my congregation as well.”
Person said his group wants answers to four questions:
- How many residents have had their utilities cut off in 2023?
- How many residents have no service?
- How much is owed to the city in past-due payments?
- And how much money was budgeted for project RESTOR, a program launched under Mayor Jacques Roy’s administration to assist customers with high past-due balances?
Following the utility system security breach under the Hall administration, customers received no bills for two to three months. As the city tried to catch up, some bills jumped from $300 dollars to $1,200 or more each month.
Now, many say bills have not come back down to normal despite the payback of outstanding balances since the ransomware attack in early June of 2022.
The survey went out October 9, and within a few days, Interfaith received more than 1,000 responses.
It found:
- 70% of respondents they struggled with basic needs because of high utility bills
- 86% said their monthly bills are around $250
- 67% have an overdue balance greater than $100
- 15% had a standing balance of more than 1000
- 6% said their average bill is more than $1000
A third of the people surveyed said that their power had been cut off at least once during the past three months.
Council President Lee Rubin wants to clear up misconceptions about the program.
“Assuming a person owed a thousand dollars they may have gotten a grant for two or three hundred dollars that would be applied to the thousand dollars they owed. And then the balance of that under RESTOR would have to be paid out over a period of months that was agreed upon with the individual when this was done.”
Many customers say they were not aware of the payment plan. The believed that they had received a grant that they did not have to pay back.
District 3 Councilwoman Cynthia Perry said she did not understand the program either when she voted for it and apologized for her vote at the meeting.
Shicola Jones, who has about half of the signatures she needs to recall Mayor Roy and the two at-large-councilmen, said that she has RESTOR charges on her bill but never applied for the program.
Jones said, “Restore means to replace something that was damaged. Right? So when they did project RESTOR they were supposed to be replacing something that was lacking. How does project RESTOR for these people that went and got a grant they’re late on their utility bill they now have to pay back the money that you took from the citizens.”
But Rubin says the program was implemented in good faith as a way to help ratepayers.
“A lot of people think it was a conspiracy and that they were charging people for things they didn’t owe, not true in any way. They were only charged for utilities that they had used and not paid for. A lot of effort went into devising this thing and designing it by the administration and approved by the council as a way to help the citizens make their payments more affordable.”
This week’s meeting was the second time that Interfaith has gone before the council, and Person says the first meeting did not go well.
“It was contentious. And it ended abruptly. However, the second meeting with the utility committee, it was better. I was encouraged and I think that moving forward that the members of the utility committee are willing to work with us.”
District 2 Councilman Gary Johnson says this week’s meeting won’t be the last one where the council will hear about utility customers and their bills.
KLAX reached out to the mayor’s office and City Utilities Director Michael Marcotte for a statement about utilities and the same information that Interfaith Ministries is seeking, but so far they have not responded.
February 01, 2024
Alexandria utility customers wanting more clarity from City regarding recent high bills
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - For 45 minutes during Tuesday’s Alexandria City Council meeting, utility customers spoke out claiming that recent high utility bill costs have put them in a tough, financial bind.
“A changing policy needs to be clearly communicated,” said one resident. “The people of our city simply do not understand what’s going on their bill, because the city has not made an effort to clearly communicate what’s on their bills.”
Earlier this month, a survey went out to utility customers in Alexandria asking them about the impacts that the high bills have had on their wallets. The survey was sent out on October 9 by Central Louisiana Interfaith and within a few days, the survey had received over 1,000 responses. In the findings, 70 percent of utility customers reported struggling to meet basic needs due to high utility bills.
86 percent of those who responded to the survey said their monthly bills are at least $250, while close to six percent shared that their average bill is over $1,000. Many Alexandria utility customers who responded also stated that they are falling behind on their bills with 67 percent saying they have an overdue balance greater than $100. The survey broke down the stats even further to show that 15 percent of respondents have a standing balance of over $1,000.
One-third of the respondents also shared that their power had been cut off at some point over the last three months.
At the beginning of this year, the City of Alexandria unveiled Project RESTOR, a multi-million dollar grant relief fund aimed at helping relieve customers from those hard-to-pay bills. Hundreds of applicants received financial assistance as part of the program, but some customers still had a remaining balance in their account depending on how much they were awarded.
According to information provided by Utility Director Mike Marcotte back in April, the remaining RESTOR balance would be converted to an installment payment plan not to exceed 12 months. This also applied to customers’ accounts who still had a balance but either did not qualify or applied for a RESTOR grant. In that release sent to KALB, Marcotte said each customer’s payment plan information would appear at the end of their monthly utility bill under the heading Project RESTOR.
However, some residents claimed during Tuesday’s council meeting that the information was not properly communicated to them and that the extra costs due to the payment plan have made their monthly bills unpayable.
“We feel like this Project RESTOR was supposed to help the citizens,” said another utility customer. “In reality, it tremendously hurt us.”
Utility customers called for more transparency from the City of Alexandria and Utility Director Mike Marcotte. Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy and Marcotte were not present at the council meeting.
District 2 Councilman Gary Johnson called for the public hearing on Tuesday, October 31. Following the meeting, he said it won’t be the last meeting that customers will have the chance to express their concerns with their utility bills.
Story by Dylan Domangue
February 01, 2024
Citizens share frustrations over utility bills with Alexandria City Council
Facing a growing number of attempts by residents to voice concerns over high utility bills and customer cutoffs at recent Alexandria City Council meetings, the Council’s Utility Committee offered citizens a chance to speak their minds before Tuesday night’s council meeting.
Public comments during formal council meetings are limited to those who sign up in advance and the comments must be “germane” issues directly related to the matter being voted on at the time. As a result, residents at previous council meetings trying to ask about utility cutoffs were cutoff from commenting and told their concerns were not germane to the agenda item. Committee meetings, however, are not as tightly controlled and allow much more opportunity for interaction between council members and the public.
District 2 City Councilman Gary Johnson chairs the Utility Committee, which also includes District 1 Councilman Reddex Washington and At-Large Councilman Jim Villard. Council President Lee Rubin was also on the dais for the meeting. Neither Mayor Jacques Roy nor Utility Director Michael Marcotte was in attendance for the meeting.
As he opened the meeting, Johnson said speakers representing community groups and organizations would be allowed 3-5 minutes to speak while individuals would be limited to 2-3 minutes. “This meeting is long overdue,” Johnson said, adding, “We won’t get everything resolved tonight,” but he felt citizens needed an opportunity to share their concerns with council members.
First to speak were the Rev. Clifford Person and William Butterfield representing Interfaith Ministries. Person explained Interfaith Ministries represents 16 congregations, many of which had representatives in attendance at the meeting. He said they have heard many complaints from citizens regarding utility cutoffs and high utility bills. He said the Alexandria Housing Authority has had to turn out numerous families due to utility bill issues.
Butterfield shared the Bible story of the Good Samaritan and said a solution needs to be found to help those in need. Noting the diversity of organizations represented, Butterfield said, “what we have in common is a love of central Louisiana.”
Person said the group is seeking the answers to four specific questions: How many residents have had their utilities cutoff in 2023, how many Alexandria residents have no utility service, what is the amount of past-due payments owed to the city, and how much money was budgeted to Project RESTOR, a program launched earlier this year by the city to assist Alexandria utility customers with high past-due balances.
Councilman Johnson took the questions and said he would work to get the answers for the group.
Following the scheduled comments by Interfaith Ministries, Johnson opened the floor to the audience. A variety of people took the opportunity to speak, ranging from ministers and group organizers to elected officials and regular citizens seeking to share their experiences.
Many quested how Project RESTOR works. Council President Lee Rubin explained that Project RESTOR had two parts – a one-time grant for some residents to help cover part of their past-due balance, and a payment plan to help residents pay off their outstanding utility balance while also paying for their current usage.
Several speakers said they had a line on their bill marked as a RESTOR payment when they had not signed up for the RESTOR program. Shicola Jones, Chair of Project Enough, was one of the speakers who said she has RESTOR charges on her monthly utility bill but she never applied for the program. “You (Council members) got bamboozled on RESTORE,” she said, adding that the city violated her rights by placing RESTOR charges on her bill without her consent. She also called utility disconnects “an abuse of power.”
The numerous complaints about Project RESTOR and the confusion over the program prompted District 3 Councilwoman Cynthia Perry to step to the microphone. “People want accountability,” she said. “I voted for RESTOR thinking it would help you. I apologize for voting for it because I see it is making people struggle.”
Several speakers said they had difficulty getting information about bills and Project RESTOR, and many specifically cited Utility Director Michael Marcotte. Lorenzo Davis, who ran for Mayor last year, complained, “the people in charge are not even here. Maybe Mike Marcotte ain’t the guy. People need to know what the policies are and what help is available.”
While most complained they got no response from Marcotte, one speaker said he did get a reply stating they were correcting a problem from the previous administration. “If there is a change in policy, it needs to be clearly communicated,” the speaker said. Regarding Project RESTOR, the speaker said the way the program was explained, “took a while for people with doctorate and master’s degrees to figure out.”
One elderly resident, who noted she is a widow on a limited income, said her most recent bill was the highest it has ever been, even higher than when she and her late husband were in the house. “Some nights I have to think, ‘will I eat a sandwich, or will I sit in the dark?’ Somebody, please make this make sense.”
Another resident said she took a letter to the city utility office showing she was approved for utility assistance and was told that she had to put down a deposit before they would move forward with the assistance. “I asked the representative how the bill got so high, and she finally told me the truth – she said she didn’t know,” the speaker said.
Medical concerns were another common issue mentioned, with residents noting they have C-Pap machines, oxygen units and other devices that require electrical power. One speaker said her power was actually disconnected while she was giving her child a breathing treatment. When she went to the utility department to complain, she said she was overwhelmed by how many other people were there crying and begging for help. She said one of the women she encountered had just gotten out of the hospital and came home to find she had been disconnected.
“Houses are catching on fire from people having to use candles because they don’t have light. Generators are being stolen. Meter readers are being threatened,” the speaker said. “RESTOR was supposed to help, but it’s hurting the city. We don’t need another Project RESTOR, we need a solution to Project Reconnect.”
Rapides Parish Police Juror Jay Scott, who said he has had utilities cut off twice, criticized the council members for not finding a solution. “The public asks you to fix it, you don’t fix it. Stop playing with the people,” he said.
Steven “Uncle Willie” Chark placed blame on Mayor Roy. “We need our Mayor to step up and do his job, or we need him to resign,” Chark said.
As he wrapped up the committee meeting, Johnson thanked people for coming and sharing their concerns. “We need to come together and resolve this,” he said.
In other action, the Community Affairs, Services and Events Committee heard from Sally Cowan, Executive Director of Cenla Community Action Committee, which offers utility assistance to low-income central Louisiana residents.
Cowan said our most vulnerable residents are being put at risk by the current utility bill situation and that we need a “sustainable and compassionate assistance solution.” She proposed the creation of a committee to find a solution.
She specifically suggested that a City Council member chair the committee. Other members she suggested to serve on the committee include City of Alexandria Utility Customer Service Supervisor Karolyn Surgent, a representative from CCAC, a local resident and a local business owner.
Cowan said the committee could address a variety of concerns including expanding assistance programs, creating new payment options, looking at renewable energy alternatives, and addressing weatherization needs.
Councilwoman Perry thanked Cowan for her suggestion and said it has her support. “I would like to help implement the plan, and I hope the other council members will get on board,” she said.
District 4 Councilwoman Lizzie Felter added, “I love that you mentioned helping strengthen bonds in the community. There are certain things a city can and can’t do, and there are things organizations can and can’t do, so it’s good to come together.”
With the lengthy committee meetings, the main council meeting was delayed from its normal 5 p.m. start to 5:35 p.m. When it started, most of the audience members had left and City Attorney Jonathan Goins was the lone representative from the administration. The council quickly moved through an agenda filled with routine matters and adjourned at 5:44 p.m.
By Jim Smilie
February 01, 2024
After hours of contentious public comment, Rapides School Board holds off on closure plan
The first substitute motion from board Vice President Buddy McCall failed by a 6-3 vote and came after about two hours of public comment.
"We came here for nothing," one woman said while sitting in the packed boardroom.
In all, the board voted on three substitute motions in the meeting that lasted about four hours. It unanimously approved one from board member Sandra Franklin, which called for the creation of an advisory council and no other action taken on the plan until after it begins work.
The original plan, called the Better Facilities strategic plan, was placed on the board's regular agenda sometime during or after its executive committee meeting on Feb. 27. The plan had not been through any of the board's committees and hadn't received any public comment before board members until Tuesday's meeting.
Students at Alma Redwine and Horseshoe Drive eventually would have been rezoned either for Acadian, Cherokee or Martin Park elementary schools after construction at those schools was completed.
Some employees were told of the plan last week, and word quickly spread on social media. Board members received calls from parents who had questions, and Superintendent Jeff Powell went to Phoenix on Monday to meet with parents and employees to answer questions.
The boardroom was packed for Tuesday's meeting, and the overflow crowd filled the lobby. More people stood outside the building.
The original motion was to present and adopt the strategic plan, and Franklin was the sole member not listed as an author of the motion.
McCall called for a vote on his substitute motion rather than hear a presentation from Powell about why the plan was needed, so it was opened for public comment.
Attorney David Lind was the first to speak, shaking Powell's hand when getting to the podium. Lind said he was against the original plan, and he asked what research has been done "with respect to the best interests of the children."
Pastor Floyd Kirts, the grandfather of an Alma Redwine student, was against the plan "for many reasons." He said if the children who attend the school are taken out of their neighborhood, their community would be in trouble.
"A school just sitting there with no kids brings problems into the community," he said to applause.
Rapides Academy student Hugh Newcomer, who earlier in the meeting had been recognized as the district's middle school student of the year, told board members their plan had created a huge distraction for him and his fellow students.
"Worry and stress aren't good for anyone, but especially for kids who are about to start end-of-the-year testing," said Newcomer, who is student body president.
He received a standing ovation as he walked back to his seat.
Newcomer wasn't the only student to speak. Bolton junior Koron Bordley said he and his fellow students were "stressed out, completely to the max" entering their SATs this week because of the plan.
He spoke on behalf of student athletes, saying they've already started working for next year's football and basketball seasons. Bordley said he wanted to compete as a Bolton Bear, not for another school.
He also spoke about being in Bolton's Air Force JROTC and Jobs for America's Graduates program and how much he's learned from both. Audience members applauded him, too.
One father of a Phoenix student said he and his wife supported the substitute motion and believed eventually moving both the Phoenix and Rapides programs to Bolton would be a good idea. He said it makes the most sense, both logistically and financially.
Rapides Parish Police Juror Jay Scott recalled the employees who lost their jobs when the board voted in March 2021 to close four schools. And he talked about the rich tradition at Bolton that would be lost if it becomes an academy.
"Where are we going? We're going backwards," he said.
Pastor Clifford Person from New Hope Missionary Baptist Church told board members his church had adopted Alma Redwine. He called it an oasis in the Sonia Quarters neighborhood.
"To be quite honest, without the school being there, drug dealers know they can sell drugs there," he said. "Without the school being there, in the summertime, children don't have lunch or breakfast."
The mother of a Phoenix kindergarten student said she was against the plan, but said she could support McCall's substitute motion. She criticized how the plan was handled, though.
She brought up the $100 million District 62 bond issue and said it wasn't right to reallocate money to other schools that originally was meant for Alma Redwine and Horseshoe Drive.
"This plan was so half-baked, it wasn't even put in the oven really," she said.
One woman who spoke against the plan pointed at Powell and said Alma Redwine deserved an apology because "you went to Phoenix but you didn't come to Alma Redwine."
Imam Mounir Bourkiza of the Islamic Society of Cenla and a member of Cenla Interfaith, said he was concerned about the students who would be displaced by closing schools. But he said the biggest problem he had was the lack of outreach to the community about the plan, something he called "unacceptable."
Former Alexandria City Councilman Jules Green, a 1970 Bolton graduate who also attended school in the buildings now housing Alma Redwine and Phoenix Magnet, said he was against the plan.
"Better together? Really?" he asked of the district's motto.
Green said the plan needs to be "reconsidered completely."
Donna Johnson Mathews thinks a kindergarten through 12th grade performing arts school "would be a fantastic addition to the Rapides Parish school system. I was opposed to the way it came out. I was opposed to the way it was presented."
She urged the board to vote for McCall's substitute motion.
When that substitute motion failed, audience members groaned in disbelief. McCall got up and walked out of the boardroom.
"Y'all are killing these children," he said as he left. He returned to his seat minutes later.
Chapman called for order and began to read his two-page substitute motion. As they began discussing it, Franklin said the motion was too long.
She said the previous speakers were "overwhelmingly" against the original plan and said board members weren't listening to them.
"All I want to say, proceed with caution because we don't know the implications that's gonna happen from this," she said.
Franklin said she wasn't fearmongering, but called it "disrespectful and wrong" to listen to the speakers and then go against their concerns.
Board member Linda Burgess agreed with her.
"I have always said, let's see what the community says. Now the community has said they are against this," she said. "What they want to do is get more input into this particular motion."
When the floor opened for public comments again, many of those who spoke were angry.
James Lucas, the parent of a Bolton student, turned to the audience and said, "it's obvious, they done made up their minds."
His comment received loud applause.
Chapman's motion failed on a 8-1 vote, which set up the vote on Franklin's substitute motion. That was done quickly by a voice vote.
Someone asked for clarification that the vote meant nothing would happen immediately, and applause and cheers broke out when Chapman said yes. He then adjourned the meeting.
February 01, 2024
Taste of Interfaith Celebrates Church Leaders for Positive Community Change
Check the story out on KLAX here.
August 19, 2023
Central Louisiana Interfaith Hosts Regional Assembly at Emmanuel Baptist Chrurch
Watch the full Assembly here:
On Tuesday, May 24 at Emmanuel Baptist Church in downtown Alexandria, leaders from across Central Louisiana came together for a historic occasion: the CENLA Interfaith Regional Assembly.
Over 300 members of the community came together from 32 congregations and citizen organizations to make a commitment to build an organization that serves the interest of all our people no matter what we look like or what neighborhood we live in.
It was truly a joyous occasion.
During the assembly, we heard stories from Interfaith leaders about the issues impacting our communities. Not ideas or opinions – stories about our lived experiences. By listening and engaging with each other in this way, we can identify issues that we have the energy and interest to take on together.
As Ms. Zendrea Whitehead, a leader from Christian Love Baptist Church said, “It is time that we start treating each other like family – because we are family. We share this home here in Central Louisiana.”
Thank you to everyone who attended the assembly and made it such an unforgettable evening.
May 10, 2023
How door-to-door canvassing became the 'heartbeat' of Louisiana's COVID-19 vaccination campaign
When Lakeisha Brown knocks on doors to talk about the coronavirus vaccines, she anticipates tough conversations. Oftentimes, folks are confused or scared of the jab. They have plenty of questions but few opportunities to get answers.
“I try not to be pushy,” Brown said. “I’m not here to make your mind up for you. I’m here to help you along the way.”
Most people are grateful that she cares enough to reach out, and they welcome the pamphlets she provides dispelling myths and rumors about the vaccines. She’s often walking the blocks of impoverished neighborhoods that have been overlooked or abandoned by the health care system.
Once, while canvassing in Colfax in Grant Parish, a homeowner sicced his dogs on her. She escaped unscathed but wasn’t fazed by the encounter. She said she's used to the polarizing reactions vaccines now elicit. It’s the reason why her job is important.
Since April, Louisiana has trained nearly 300 canvassers to go door to door in hard-to-reach communities to get public health information about the coronavirus vaccines directly in the hands of residents. The targeted outreach is paired with pop-up vaccination sites and is one component of the state’s sprawling campaign to boost inoculation rates.
Canvassing garnered renewed attention last week after President Joe Biden highlighted the work as an essential tool in the nation’s vaccination drive. His comments came as Louisiana braced itself for a startling — and avoidable — surge in coronavirus cases, fueled by lackluster vaccination rates and made worse by an aggressive new strain of the virus known as the delta variant.
“We need to go to community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood and, oftentimes, door to door — literally knocking on doors — to get help to the remaining people protected from the virus,” Biden said Tuesday.
Louisiana began its experiment in vaccine canvassing months ago as the centerpiece of its “Bring Back Louisiana” campaign. The operation modeled itself after the get-out-to-vote campaigns that materialize ahead of elections, with the goal of mobilizing residents to attend pop-up vaccination sites at nearby churches and community centers.
The program kicked off with a pilot in each of the state’s nine public health regions and focused on ZIP codes with lagging vaccination rates that ranked poorly on a social vulnerability index, a tool used by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to predict health outcomes. In a state like Louisiana, where well-being is often divided along racial lines, that primarily consisted of Black communities.
To recruit canvassers, the Health Department has relied on partners with relationships within the targeted communities. That has included groups like Together Louisiana, a faith-based organization with statewide contacts, and the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, which boasts of its ability to turn out more than a quarter-million Black voters. The “vaccine champions,” as officials call them, are paid $15 an hour for their labor.
“Most of the people I come in contact with I’m familiar with in some way,” said Brown, whose canvassing has centered around Alexandria. “I live in the community. I am the community. They trust talking to me.”
Check out more here!
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_335cdae4-e1a5-11eb-9aaf-43f49d24bfcb.html
July 26, 2021
Organizations bringing COVID-19 vaccines to low-vaccinated areas
PINEVILLE, La. (KALB) - Despite the COVID-19 vaccine being available at many locations across Louisiana, some areas still don’t have access to it.
Together Louisiana has been setting up neighborhood canvassers in cities across the state like Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Alexandria and New Orleans to bring more vaccines to low-income and low-vaccinated areas.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, Region 6 in Central Louisiana is the second-lowest vaccinated region in the state, just above Region 5 at the bottom of the list. Just over 21 percent of Central Louisiana residents have received the vaccine.
To combat this effort, Together Louisiana has been going door to door, educating and signing up those wanting a shot.
Ben Nugent-Peterson is an organizer for Together Louisiana and said, “I think one thing we’ve learned a lot in the first and second round of doing this is that building trust and relationships is the most important part of doing work like this.”
Over the last week, Together Louisiana has partnered up with the Strong Neighborhood Group and United Way of Central Louisiana to reach those in the Wardville community in Pineville.
Michelle Purl, the CEO of United Way of Central Louisiana, said, “I think it comes back to meeting people where they are at and answering their questions. It’s important to have people that they know and trust and accompanying other people that are willing to educate them to keep that trust going.”
Check out more here!
https://www.kalb.com/2021/05/20/organizations-bringing-covid-19-vaccines-to-low-vaccinated-areas/
July 26, 2021
Spring Fling serves up food, fun and COVID-19 Vaccine
Besides having fun at the annual Spring Fling held Saturday on Prince Street, Pineville Concerned Citizens was encouraging nearby residents to attend the event and get vaccinated.
"I think it's time for us to come out, get the vaccination to be free of COVID," said Angelina Iles of Pineville Concerned Citizens.
"We're here as part of the Vaccine Equity Project," said Ben Nugent-Peterson, community organizer with Central Louisiana Interfaith and Together Louisiana.
The Vaccine Equity Project is a statewide initiative called "Bring Back Louisiana" that targets underserved communities with very low vaccination rates. "Bring Back Louisiana" takes the COVID-19 vaccines to those communities through targeted vaccine events and grassroots outreach.
Check out more here!
July 26, 2021
Catholic Diocese partners with Interfaith on "Faith in Action" training
TO REGISTER TO ATTEND, CLICK HERE
The Catholic Diocese of Alexandria is partnering with Central Louisiana Interfaith for a "Faith in Action" leadership training on October 17th and 18th.
The purpose of the training is to strengthen the ability of Catholic churches to act on their call to do justice in their local communities.
The training is being offered by the Interfaith Education Fund through a grant by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD).