I came to the Bishop William M. Cosgrove Center in 2016. I was homeless, on drugs and I was drinking. I was tired. I did not know how to stop,” said Renee Hooks. “I wanted a new life, a changed life.”

The mother of four adult children, Renee had been struggling since the death of her husband in 2015.

“I went to the shelter downtown, then I went to Cosgrove for breakfast and lunch, and then I went back to the shelter,” she said, describing her daily routine.

Cosgrove, part of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland’s Emergency Assistance Services, was a lifeline for Renee. The center offers hot meals, showers, a food pantry, mail distribution, assistance in obtaining birth certificates and state identification cards plus rent and utility assistance.

Then, on Nov. 16, 2016, things changed for Renee.

“I gave my life to the Lord. Now, God is a big part of my life. He cleaned me up and changed my life. I am so very grateful.”

One day while she was at Cosgrove, one of the largest day drop-in centers in Greater Cleveland, Renee said the cook needed some assistance in the kitchen and serving at the window, so she agreed to help.

“That’s how I started volunteering at Cosgrove. I volunteered for five years, and I received the Most Treasured Volunteer Award,” she said proudly.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Cosgrove closed temporarily for in-person services, but Renee continued to volunteer. She also found an apartment downtown and eventually secured employment.

At the request of Eric Milkie, Catholic Charities’ emergency assistance services director, Renee began working at St. Augustine Hunger Center in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood.

“I started as a part-time program assistant (at the hunger center), then I became a full-time employee. I am also a safety officer for St. Augustine Hunger Center,” she said. “As of Jan. 19, I’ve been working for Catholic Charities for five years.”

Renee also has dealt with additional personal loss, she said recalling a phone call she received on Sept. 13, 2024.

“I was getting ready for work and the phone rang about 5:30 a.m. It was my mother, who told me that my oldest son was dead.” She said he was cooking, fell asleep, and his house caught fire. He tried to put out the blaze, but “he did not make it,” she said, adding that her faith helped guide her through the grief.

One of the proudest moments of her life was March 14, 2025, when she and her daughter purchased a house.

“I went from being homeless to an apartment, to volunteering to a great job and buying a house,” she said. “When you step out by faith and trust God, anything is possible.”

Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance Services will benefit from an in-pew collection the first weekend of June as part of the 2026 Catholic Charities Appeal. 

2025 Emergency Assistance Services fast facts

• 610 people received a hot meal each day at  Catholic Charities food centers
• 1,849 families visited the four pantry locations
• 362 families received financial assistance payments to support eviction/displacement and utility shutoff prevention