- Catholic Charities uses a variety of approaches to deal with poverty,
providing basic needs to individuals and advocacy to address systemic
poverty. Through its member agencies, Catholic Charities provides
services to millions of people a year through activities such as
housing, health care, and disaster relief. Some services are provided
directly by member agencies; in other instances, in conjunction with
other organizations.
- Rev. Herman J. Lammers (1939 – 1976)
Basic needs
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston operates 15 sites in the Greater Boston area, providing food pantries, rent and mortgage assistance, utility assistance, assistance in providing furniture, baby supplies, clothing and other necessities, and seasonal and holiday assistance for families who cannot afford a warm meal at Thanksgiving or gifts for their children at Christmas.[10]Disaster relief
Arcadia, FL, August 29, 2004 – A Catholic Relief Charities volunteer cooks burgers for residents affected by Hurricane Charlie
Health services
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin Catholic Charities Behavioral Health/Counseling Services is a state certified outpatient behavioral health clinic providing mental health services for individuals, families, children and couples of all faiths.[11] In northeast Kansas the "In-Home Support" service is a licensed home health agency that helps elderly clients remain in their homes for as long as is safe and possible.[12]HIV/AIDS Services
Because Long Island's high cost of living can be especially hard on families with one or more HIV-ill members, Rockville Centre's "Special Needs Housing" program provides 25 affordable rental units for individuals, couples, and families, with access to social work and case management services, as needed.[13] "Good Shepherd", a program of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark provides permanent housing and supportive services, including meals, case management, and advocacy, to homeless men 21 years of age and older who are living with HIV/AIDS.[14] In upstate New York, Catholic Charities AIDS Services' provides services for HIV-positive (HIV+) persons. The goals of the Community Follow-up Program are to increase access to HIV-related services, promote early intervention, prevent or delay institutionalization, and foster independence and self-sufficiency.[15]Housing
In furtherance of its housing initiatives, twenty-eight local member agencies have partnered with Habitat for Humanity. Since 1975, Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples (CCPOP) Development Corporation, of Brooklyn and Queens, transformed vacant land and buildings into housing. CCPOP has completed over 3,000 units of housing, including 2,200 units of housing for low-income older adults, 510 units of family housing and 284 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals.[16]
Catholic Charities Chicago, Summer Food Service Program, USDA
Hunger
In 2013, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles provided over 350,000 food services consisting of bags of groceries, sack lunches, prepared meals and food distribution to low-income individuals and families.[17] In central Florida, the Agape Food Bank collects and distributes more than 6 million pounds of donated food to an estimated 100,000 needy families and individuals through a network of more than 250 soup kitchens, churches, senior centers and other not-for-profits.[18]Governance
Catholic Charities USA is governed by a Board of Trustees, many of whom are lead local Catholic Charities agencies across the country.[2]There are 160 member organizations nationwide, nearly one per diocese. [19] There are 178 Latin Catholic dioceses and archdioceses.
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