Barbara, 29, and Frank, 30, returned to West Virginia earlier this year after Barbara's father, whom they were caring for in Kentucky, died.

Frank suffers from seizures and had been collecting Supplemental Security Income, but recently lost it. Barbara has looked for work, but has not found anything. They have three children, the eldest 13.

"We don't know where to turn from here," Cathy told a social worker. "We are several payments behind on our house and about to lose it."

Cathy and her family are among the many people who have made more than 13,000 visits the first 10 months of this year to Covenant House, the social services agency which moved two years ago from Quarrier Street into a new $2.25 million, 13,000-square-foot building on Shrewsbury Street.

Cathy and her family sleep on mattresses spread on the floor. Each person has a blanket and pillow, but they lack enough sheets, towels and washcloths to go around. They need more pots, pans and dishes. For the holidays, the elder two children want books, and Cathy's husband wants an artificial plant for the house.

Former nuns Pat Hussey and Barbara Ferraro have run Covenant House since its beginning in 1981. The center is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, providing a drop-in center where people can wash and dry their laundry, shower, relax in a sitting area, or play in a children's area.

The nonprofit agency seeks new volunteers. "Some people come in once a month, some once a week," said Phil Hainen, who helps run the drop-in center.

Covenant House also operates a clothes closet and food pantry and offers emergency assistance to Charleston residents who have received termination-of-service notices from utilities or eviction notices from landlords.

"We primarily work with the working poor, people who have jobs and just can't cover their bills," Hainen said. "They're not getting enough hours and they're not making enough money."

Covenant House also works with homeless off the street. "And a lot of the ones who aren't homeless are in danger of becoming so," Hainen said.

"They live paycheck to paycheck, juggling which bills to pay. And the slightest unexpected expense can put them in the hole very quickly."

To contact Covenant House, call 344-8053.

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