For the nationwide network of Catholic charities “We are here” is more than just wordsIt’s a promise that the staff and volunteers of all 168 agencies do their best to fulfill every day. Whether they’re guiding clients through mental health crises, the difficulties of unemployment/underemployment, or the joys (and challenges) of pregnancy and parenthood, Catholic Charities agencies are there to help communities like yours. Catholic Charities contributes by providing compassion and support to those in need because We are there (WeAreHere.US) are not just words, but a promise.
Integration of health and well-being, mental and physical
A client who is homeless, ill and vulnerable needs medical and mental health care, as well as social services. Many Catholic Charities agencies work with local health systems and other partners to provide counseling, addiction treatment, case management and caregiver support. Take Jean. Once a client, she is now a peer advocate for PACT (Program for Assertive Community Treatment) at Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton. For years she struggled with her mental and physical health and was eventually close to death due to liver failure. But thanks to the integrated health model, today she is healthy, has a home, is able to work and shares the wisdom and compassion of her life experience with other clients. “It was just my way of living well and fully with mental illness, and you can do both,” Jean says. “It’s possible.”
Worker and community development
Many Catholic Charities agencies offer a combination of workforce development programs to provide the unemployed or underemployed with the skills they need to find meaningful work, and social enterprise programs that provide their clients with opportunities to hone their new skills in a supportive environment. In this way, entire communities can be empowered, one person at a time.
The CCUSA Innovation Challenge shows how to think creatively to create opportunities for our neighbors. Take Public Sector Pathways to Prosperity, a program of the Catholic Charities Diocese of Nashville that operates in four predominantly rural communities in Middle Tennessee. One of the winners in 2023 The Innovation Challenge program will help 40 households escape poverty and achieve economic stability in the first year. In the following years, the model will be expanded by 50%.
Laying a solid foundation
To help clients – especially those living in poverty and other at-risk individuals – reach their full potential, Catholic Charities’ outreach agencies provide essential community and parish-based services that take a holistic approach to total human development. Person- and family-centered services build on individual strengths and respond to evolving life needs. These may include programs for children and youth, families, pregnancy and adoption, seniors, people with disabilities, and those involved with the criminal justice system. system.
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Denver offers a wide range of services for pregnant and parenting women, including housing at Marisol Homes and medical care through Marisol Health. Women like Jennifer, who came to the residential program after a stint in rehab and gave birth to a boy two weeks later, have found a supportive, loving environment to reorient themselves and get their lives back on track. Parenting classes are making her a better mother to her young son and two school-age children. “They show me a lot of things I didn’t know, things I need to know, things I’ve done wrong and could do better,” she says. “Nobody anywhere takes care of us like that.”
Donations, volunteering, support
The Catholic Charities network could not do its work without the dedication of its more than 215,000 volunteers and the many generous donors who support its work. Learn more about how you can contribute to this life-giving work at WeAreThere.US.
