ARLINGTON, Va. (WDVM)– COVID-19 continues to affect many nationwide. The Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington has provided emergency financial support to households.

Catherine Hassinger, Director of Community Services, Catholic Charities said,
“People are still unable to pay their rent. The hopes that people would be called back to work have not happened as quickly or as robustly as everybody was hoping or participating.”

Hassinger said the Diocese have helped 553 households this year with rent across Loudoun County, Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria. With assistance from grant funding and fund raising efforts, the mission is to help those who are not able to access traditional routes for rental assistance.

“As we look ahead we don’t anticipate a decrease, and that is probably the first baseline. We don’t expect these numbers to dramatically drop” said Hassinger.

Lisa Zalovick, a licensed massage therapist in Loudoun, said COVID-19 took an economic toll on her business.

“I’m a entrepreneur I do what I love to do, and I felt like I was prepared for any type of emergency. I had some money saved in case something was to happen but I always thought it would be disability or it would be some type of illness” said Zalovick.

Like many others in Zalovick shoes, she didn’t expect this to happen. She said she reached out to Catholic Charities and they helped her pay her landlord directly.

“I thought that it was going to open back up once we got to stage 2, it felt like things were going to change and shift and we had gotten over the hump. But now I almost see more fear now then I did right when we were able to go back to work” said Zalovick.

Officials said Loudoun Cares has also been a helping hand, working with those that have been affected.