For Gorgonio, the days begin early.
He wakes at 5 a.m. to head to his job at a Manhattan restaurant, where he works in the kitchen preparing ingredients and takes on delivery work when he can. But his hours and number of workdays can vary, making it difficult to predict how much he will earn each month.
At home, Gorgonio is a single parent of two school-age daughters. When work is inconsistent, there is often little left after paying rent. It can be a struggle to put food on the table, keep up with utility bills, and cover other household expenses.
Still, Gorgonio keeps looking for ways to provide for his family.
“My motivation are my kids,” he said.
Where Food Assistance Opens the Door to More Support
Gorgonio first connected with Catholic Charities of New York at St. Cecilia’s Parish during the COVID-19 pandemic. Catholic Charities’ network at parish sites allows neighbors in need to access food, case management, and connections to other resources within the communities where they live.
With his work hours reduced and his family struggling to afford food, Gorgonio passed by the parish and saw Catholic Charities of New York distributing food through its weekly food pantry. The food pantry became Gorgonio’s first connection. He soon learned that Catholic Charities of New York could also connect him with other resources and support.
As his family struggled to keep up with its electricity bills, Sandra Blackstock, a Catholic Charities Case Manager at the parish, helped Gorgonio explore available assistance. Through direct assistance and the Energy Share program, he received help toward his utility arrears on several occasions.
“I felt relieved when Catholic Charities helped me,” he shared.
Ms. Blackstock has seen the impact of rising costs on families coming to St. Cecilia’s Parish.
The need for food assistance can be especially visible at the weekly pantry, where people begin lining up early in the morning, before the pantry opens at 9 a.m. By late morning, the demand can quickly outpace the available food. “Sometimes by eleven, all the food is gone,” she said.
For families across New York, putting food on the table has become increasingly expensive.
As the cost of rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and other necessities continues to rise, the pressure on household budgets is growing. Consumer prices rose 4.2% over the past year, while inflation-adjusted hourly earnings fell 0.7%, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For many New Yorkers, that growing financial strain means making difficult choices about which necessities they can afford.
SNAP: A Lifeline for Families
Through her work with Gorgonio, Ms. Blackstock helped connect him with additional resources, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With her support, he completed the application process and began receiving benefits.
“It’s a big help,” her shared. Gorgonio uses SNAP to purchase nutritious food for his daughters, including meat, dairy, fresh fruit, and vegetables. For Gorgonio, each source of assistance is another way to stretch his income and keep providing for his family.
SNAP is one of the most widely used public benefits programs in New York. Approximately 3 million New Yorkers receive SNAP benefits each month, illustrating the important role the program plays for households across the state. The need is particularly significant in New York City, where approximately 1.8 million residents — more than one in five New Yorkers — receive SNAP benefits, according to New York City data.
For New Yorkers struggling to keep up with the rising cost of groceries and everyday essentials, SNAP can be more than food assistance, it can be a lifeline.
Finding Strength Through Family and Art
The financial challenges are not always easy, but Gorgonio tries to keep his worries from his children. “I try to stay calm, especially in front of my daughters,” he said. “I try to continue with my normal life and make everything seem okay for them, even though I’m worried.”
His daughters are the reason he continues looking for solutions.
Even when work is slow, Gorgonio uses his creativity and skills to supplement his income. He makes small clay figure pottery inspired by ancient civilizations and cultures. He learned the craft from an uncle when he was about 10 years old and has continued making pieces throughout his life.
“When I make the pieces, I enjoy it, and I want to keep making more,” he said.
His pottery figures include pieces inspired by Olmec cultures from his home country of Mexico. He keeps some of his work at home and hopes to continue creating and selling his artwork. For Gorgonio, the art is also a way to preserve something meaningful from his heritage for the next generation. Once his daughters are older, he hopes to teach his daughters the craft and share more about the traditions behind it.
“I would like my daughters to learn about this and for more people to learn about my culture,” he said.
A Community of Support with Catholic Charities
Gorgonio’s hopes for his family are clear. He wants to continue working, provide for his daughters, and eventually have a home with more space for them to grow. “I would like to have a house, so my daughters don’t always have to stay in an apartment,” he said.
Through the challenges, Gorgonio said it makes a difference knowing there is a community of support at Catholic Charities of New York. “It’s good to know that there is a place where I can go and they can help me,” he said.
Since first finding Catholic Charities of New York during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gorgonio has continued coming back to St. Cecilia’s Parish when his family needs support. Over time, Catholic Charities of New York has become more than a place to access food or assistance with household expenses. It has become a community anchor where he knows he can ask for help.
“I’m very grateful to all of these people,” Gorgonio said. “This is the only place where they always ask me what I need, and they treat me well.”
For Ms. Blackstock, that ongoing connection is an important part of the support Catholic Charities of New York provides. She has seen Gorgonio continue to work, care for his daughters, and seek out resources when his family needs them.
“He knows that there is a place where he can come, and that we’re here to help him,” she said.
