Charities at Work

CCUSA's Healthy Housing Initiative pilot program seeks to help people experiencing homelessness acquire stable housing, food security and behavioral health services while in transition. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) is the only federal agency with the sole mission of preventing and ending homelessness. Made up of 19 federal agencies, USICH works across federal, state and local governments, as well as the private sector, to help communities create partnerships, use resources in the most efficient and effective ways, and employ evidence-based best practices to solve chronic homelessness.

Vice President of Affordable Housing Curtis Johnson speaks with Sr. Mary Haddad, the President & CEO of the Catholic Health Association about Affordable Housing.

Di Novella discusses how her faith, family experience, and education inspired her to serve others, especially families and youth. She is passionate about the work of social justice, which she sees as integrally connected to faith in Jesus. She often says that Jesus was the first social worker. Fundamentally, the work is about supporting people so they can live according to their God-given dignity. It might mean offering financial education or even providing a tattoo removal service so former gang members can change their lifestyle. Di Novella looks forward to leading Catholic Charities and continuing the ministries of service, advocacy and convening. To read more about Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey, click here.

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington provided workforce development and job training programs throughout the pandemic, providing on-line courses in many cases, so that clients could continue to work toward full-time employment and self-sufficiency despite the challenges of COVID-19 shut downs. Maria Camila Garzon relates how she enrolled in and completed the banking program, which helped her find employment at a bank.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be declared a saint by the Catholic Church. She was born in 1656 and converted to Catholicism at age 19. Saint Kateri was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012. She is the patron saint of the environment and ecology. Deacon Kipfstuhl explains why St. Kateri influences his work. Charities USA, the magazine of CCUSA, devoted a whole issue to care for the environment and each other, and you can read it here.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington recognized how the pandemic made it difficult for people to overcome socioeconomic barriers, especially for people of color and non-English speaking individuals. Catholic Charities responded by adapting its network of educational and training programs to the challenges created by the pandemic. Training and ESOL classes were offered online. Catholic Charities also collaborated with companies like Baker DC and Bank of America. The online classes have been so successful that they will continue to be part of Catholic Charities' programs. Catholic Charities also looks forward to working with other companies and organizations that want to help people find meaningful employment.

Sister Luann Brown talks about her experience supporting asylum seekers. Some of her activities included sorting clothes, delivering meals, and helping migrants navigate the airport as they move to their final destinations. As a mental health counselor, Sister Luann was able to help a woman dealing with anxiety caused by her journey.

Catholic Charities of Omaha provides mental health services for students and their families in 21 Catholic schools. The services help people with depression, anxiety and behavioral issues, among other things. Catholic Charities also provides crisis intervention and professional development for the faculties of the schools. Joan Huss, senior director of program services at Catholic Charities of Omaha, tells the story of a young woman (anonymous) who was contemplating suicide but decided against it after receiving the support of the program. The young woman is flourishing at school and extracurricular activities.

Sarah Hendley, director of Federal Grants and Special Projects for CCUSA, talks about the value volunteers bring to the Catholic Charities ministry. She notes that there are tangible and intangible benefits: the former being the equivalent of almost $28 per hour of volunteer service and the latter being the one-on-one attention volunteers give to clients. Volunteers come from all walks of life, areas of expertise, and age groups. They might be from a local parish or part of the AmeriCorps program. What they have in common is a desire to serve their neighbors in need and contribute to the common good.

Topics include Catholic Charities recommendations for consideration to guide the 117th Congress' policy priorities, such as confronting the deep connection between racism and poverty particularly in relation to housing, lending, education and employment; climate change, economic security; religious liberty and the protection of all human life. You can read all the recommendations here. Priorities for COVID-19 relief include ensuring resources to promote family and worker stability; supporting the health care safety net; maintaining the longstanding, bipartisan support for the Hyde Amendment policy; extending the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures; and support for local governments and charities.

Sister Sharlet Ann Wagner, founding director of the Newcomer Network, discusses the first months of operation and the deeper, faith-based reasons for working with immigrants. To learn more about the Newcomer Network, click here.

One area  in northern Maine served by Catholic Charities Maine is Aroostook County on the Canadian border. Like many communities across the United States experiencing shutdowns to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus, Aroostook County has many people in need of food. Distributions of food have continued but without the regular volunteers - mostly senior citizens - who are staying home. Since the U.S./Canadian border is also closed, border patrol agents in the area have stepped up to volunteer to fill the need and help their neighbors get good, nutritious food.

Jane Stenson, vice president for food and nutrition and poverty reduction strategies at Catholic Charities USA, discusses how the national office and local agencies in the Catholic Charities ministry provided food to people affected by the pandemic. Stenson talks about positive developments like creating pantries at senior centers, challenges like lack of refrigeration, and lessons learned.

The episode contrasts the normal response of Catholic Charities to disasters with the response during the pandemic. Topics include the role of Catholic Charities USA, the national office for the Catholic Charities ministry in the United States; communication needs; assessment; immediate response; and ongoing engagement. Resources for local agencies are also mentioned: the disaster page on the CCUSA website, the CCUSA COVID-19 resource center, and a chart entitled "What happens during a disaster." Individuals and families are encouraged to have a plan in place in case of a disaster and to contact their local agency for more information and resources.  Follow us: Facebook (@catholiccharitiesusa), LinkedIn, Twitter (@CCharitiesUSA), and Instagram (@ccharitiesusa).

The Safe Streets program of Catholic Charities  Baltimore is making a difference in the lives of people they serve, helping them to choose a path that rejects violence and embraces actions and thoughts that uplift the person and the community.

Kevin Creamer talks about the commitment Catholic Charities of Baltimore has made to try to make a difference in predominately African American neighborhoods that are poor and without resources by being present, listening, and being accountable to the residents.  Creamer also discusses how the Catholic faith, which highlights the human dignity of every human being, undergirds the work for racial justice.

No person should be exploited for economic gain. All workers maintain their rights as children of God, and the workplace must honor their dignity by fair labor practices and wages. Everyone who works participates in God’s creation. Listen as Eila Latif, director of the employment network at Catholic Charities Santa Clara County, and Steve Bogus, vice president of social enterprise and workforce development at CCUSA, talk about work and workers in light of the Catholic faith.

Human beings cannot maintain their own rights without respecting and protecting the rights of others. As St. James says, “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear or has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” (2:15-16). Join our discussion with George Horton, director of social and community development at Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York, and Diane Zbasnik, director of the Diocesan Social Action Office at Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland.

A good test  for respecting human dignity and working for the common good is to see how those who are poor and vulnerable are being treated in society.  Something is wrong in a community that has an abundance of resources, but some of its members lack nutritious food and employment opportunities. Sister Betsy Van Deusen, director of community partnerships at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, and Deacon Kevin Sartorius, CEO of Catholic Charities Eastern Oklahoma, discuss the pastoral foundations and practical aspects to the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable.

Family is the first institution is society, and  it is the place where each human being learns to receive and offer love. Children learn not only their inherent worth but also their responsibility to participate in their community and political life. Ed Lis, director of mission integration and Catholic identity at Catholic Human Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia talks about the theological principles involved. Jean Beil, senior vice president of programs and services at CCUSA, discusses the practical implications of being part of a family and larger community.

As human persons we have three main relationships: with God, with each other and with creation. Our care for Earth should reflect our gratitude to God for all life by respecting the planet and using its resources wisely.  Listen to Scott Hurd, vice president of leadership formation at CCUSA, and Kim Burgo, vice president of disaster operations at CCUSA, as they talk about the meaning and practice of caring for our common home.

If each person reflects God to the world, then all men and women are brothers and sisters who have a responsibility to work together for the common good. Join us as we discuss this topic with Msgr. John Enzler, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, and Kim Mazyck, senior manager, Social Policy, Catholic Charities USA.

Each human being is made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore each person has a God-given dignity that must be nurtured and protected. Fr. Ragan Schriver, special assistant to the president at Catholic Charities USA, talks about the pastoral foundations of the theme of human dignity. Brian Corbin, executive vice president of Member Services at CCUSA, offers insight into the practical implications of believing that each person is made in the image and likeness of God. You can follow Catholic Charities USA on Twitter (@CCharitiesUSA), facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Also, be sure to visit CCUSA's website.