After this year's Catholic Charities Appeal exceeded its goal by nearly $200,000, the social service organization was able to open a new location in Franklinville last week to help serve several communities in Southeast Wyoming and Northern Cattaraugus counties.

The new location accommodates a growing need for the area, as Catholic Charities moved its Arcade office to Franklinville. The new primary care office space, located at 86 S. Main St., was donated by Olean General Hospital.

Initially, the new office will provide counseling, and emergency and basic assistance services. While the Franklinville office will only be staffed one day per week, following a community-needs assessment, there is the potential to increase the staff with two part-time employees and provide additional programs like parish outreach and advocacy, and clinical and aging services.

Despite the one-day-a-week schedule, people can still call the office any day to schedule an appointment. The new office maintains the same Arcade phone number at 1-585-492-0407.

District Director Dan Greene will supervise the new site, which is currently being staffed by social worker Samantha Elliott on Tuesdays. She is one of three employees covering five offices throughout the rural area of the Diocese of Buffalo.

"We're going to have to get the word out some more, but we suspect it will be picking up," Elliott said of the first week in Franklinville.

The office fulfills the promise made by Sister Mary McCarrick, OSF, diocesan director of Catholic Charities, who said she would increase the poverty outreach in Franklinville if this year's campaign drive exceeded its $10.8 million goal. The appeal finished with a total of $11 million.

Catholic Charities opened the Wellsville Food Pantry and Outreach in Allegany County after the last time the appeal exceeded its fundraising goal.