ORLANDO  |  The St. Gabriel Call Center at Catholic Charities of Central Florida receives approximately 150 calls for assistance per day for family stability program support. There is not enough time to answer all of them, but two volunteers try and accompany clients as best as possible, with love, compassion, patience, and prayer.

Three days a week one volunteer, who prefers to remain anonymous, walks into the call center. His gait is slow and intentional. He has his own limitations but chooses to give Catholic Charities his time because “there is such dire need,” he explained. He began serving in July 2025 and was surprised at what he encountered.

“This job requires you to take mental health first aid training and to learn about self-care. Now I see why. There are some real heart wrenching calls. Some have been very tough. I’ve had some people in very bad situations. I haven’t been able to help except to offer encouragement and some prayers,” he said. “I like to pray and I’m in a very similar situation.”

He explained his own family is struggling to keep their home. Two members of his household are on disability.

“I can empathize with how (callers are) feeling. And I pray with them so I can talk to them and bring them hope. What I say is what I would want to hear — the type of encouragement I would need. I try to put that into words and pray for them,” he said.

Noting it is our duty as Catholics to go out and preach the Gospel, he likes sharing hope over the phone because “it’s a nice, safe way to do that for someone who is a little timid.”

Rather than stay at home and ponder his difficulties, he finds strength and hope in volunteering and sharing his hope in the Lord with others. “If you can handle the fact there are going to be some hard situations where there isn’t a lot you can do for people, except be there for them, pray for them, and offer them encouragement, it’s very rewarding,” he said.

Gwendolyn Gregory began volunteering at St. Gabriel Call Center in August. After three tumultuous years that included escaping an abusive relationship, battling her own demons, and losing her son to suicide, she felt the Lord had saved her and given her renewed purpose.

“I wanted to be able to give back. I wanted to be able to be of service. I wanted to find a place where I felt like I mattered and I could make a difference and got me out of isolating myself and falling into a state of depression and self-isolation,” she said.

She said volunteering at the call center gives her a chance to let others know, “we care, that they still matter, that we understand, and to we’re still here through it all, no matter what.”

Gregory is familiar with homelessness, fear, and depression. She also knows what helps her — to get out and serve.

“I realized there was something I needed to do, and God’s made it a point for me to be here. So being here at the call center helps me know that God is still here in my life,” Gregory said. “I get to come here, talk to people, and I feel fulfilled. And that enriches my soul.”

This past Sept. 22, her son would have been 23 years old. She didn’t want to go into the call center that day. She just wanted to “crawl into a ball.” But she got up and went in. She received a call that day from someone she had spoken to days earlier. Because she recognized him, she also noticed a difference in his speech.

“I was able to reach out to the DeLand Police Department and have emergency rescue go to his house. They got him and took him to the hospital because he had dangerously high blood sugar and was very sick,” she recalled. “If it hadn’t been for God getting me here, I wouldn’t have been able to make that difference. I’m just thankful.”

Government cuts to family stability programs that help with rent and water or electric bills have limited what Catholic Charities can provide at the moment. Although they still have plenty to offer via the food pantry and defer to other resources, most families need more. Ineavelle Colón Reyes is the manager of mission engagement at Catholic Charities and oversees the call center.

“At the moment, we don’t have enough money to help people. When they take these calls, they are like angels,” she said referring to her two volunteers. “The way they respond to these families and pray with them, the person on the other line is grateful and experiences peace.” She said their “heartfelt touch” makes a difference.

“I’ve heard them pray with people and the people start crying and find peace. (The volunteers) arrive here with love. They’ve been through their own situations and those have helped them be more sensitive with those on the line,” she said. “Because they’ve been through it, they let them know they will accompany them and understand.”

Speaking of Gregory’s lifesaving encounter with a caller in September she said, “She saved a life simply through a telephone call that wasn’t just about responding, answering the phone and offering resources. It’s about walking in the shoes of another. For me, she was a hero in that moment. She took control and took it to heart. That is special. There is a sensitivity there. They are angels.”

“The struggles that families face appear to be more intense than ever and it is reflected in the number of calls coming into CCCF each business day,” said Deacon Gary Tester, president of Catholic Charities. “In September, an average of 1,125 assistance requests were received each business day (for all CCCF services). These families are struggling and some of the funds normally available to assist them have been eliminated or are frozen until further notice. Our call center volunteers are truly beacons of light in these challenging times. A listening ear and a compassionate response reflect our Lord’s command to love our neighbor, and we do.”

For information about volunteering Catholic Charities of Central Florida, visit here.