Charities USA Magazine Summer 2013

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THE MAGAZINE OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA



SUMMER 2013



VOLUME 40



NUMBER 3

REACHING THE HUNGRY THROUGH

WALMART GRANT
A TRIBUTE TO

BISHOP SULLIVAN
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HEADS TO

SAN FRANCISCO

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

SUPPORTING

You’re missing out...if you’re missing

THE MAGAZINE OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA

Charities USA is the quarterly magazine of Catholic Charities USA. In each issue, you’ll find:
• Feature articles on the work of Catholic Charities • Poverty reduction success stories • Updates on CCUSA’s legislative and policy work • News from CCUSA and member agencies • And so much more!

Last Issue: SPRING 2013

Supporting People with Disabilities
When I read the U.S. Bishops’ 1978 Pastoral Statement on People with Disabilities, one part particularly moved me—the passage that reminds us of Jesus’ particular concern for people with illnesses and disabilities. Through them He manifested, in very real and concrete ways, His divinity and His power to save, both in body and spirit. He gave sight to the man who was blind from birth sitting outside the temple in Jerusalem. He quickened the limbs of a paralyzed man lowered on a mat from a synagogue roof. He opened the ears and mouth of a deaf mute man. And responding to a desperate father’s plea, he drove out the torments afflicting a young boy’s mind. What touches me most about these passages is Jesus’ compassion. He saw people’s suffering and could not stay his hand. And even though He sometimes chided their lack of faith, He still healed them, renewing their bodies and their spirits. Were He here with us, I believe He would be moved with compassion to heal us, all of us, but certainly, those of us living with disabilities. The people in Catholic Charities who dedicate themselves to serving people with disabilities are also, I believe, moved with compassion to heal. Our healing is limited, of course, but the gifts we bring of hope, kindness, patience, and service go a long way toward healing the spirit, even though the physical challenges remain. Our network provides a number of services to people with disabilities and their families, which this issue of Charities USA presents. These services range from residential care to recreation camps, from job development to Braille instruction, from guardianship services to life skills education. These services empower and enrich the lives of people with disabilities, giving them hope and strength to carry on and the courage to reach their full potential. Until the day when disability no longer exists, this is the healing we can bring to pass, and in doing so, walk in the footsteps of Jesus. n

Charities USA (ISSN 0364-0760) is published by Catholic Charities USA. Address all correspondence to the Managing Editor. © 2013 Catholic Charities USA, Alexandria, Virginia. Editorial and Business Office 2050 Ballenger Avenue, Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314 tel: 703-549-1390 • fax: 703-549-4183 www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org [email protected] Publisher Rev. Larry Snyder Managing Editor Ruth Liljenquist Sr. Creative Director Sheena Lefaye Crews Contributing Writers Patricia Cole Patrick Brown Ruth Liljenquist Editorial Committee Jean Beil Candy Hill Kristan Schlichte Jane Stenson

Catholic Charities USA is the national office for one of the nation’s largest social service networks. Member agencies and institutions nationwide provide vital social services to over 10 million people in need, regardless of their religious, social, or economic backgrounds. Catholic Charities USA supports and enhances the work of its members by providing networking opportunities, national advocacy, program development, training and consulting, and financial benefits. Donate Now: 1-800-919-9338

Ruth Liljenquist, Managing Editor
To comment on this issue, please write to Ruth Liljenquist at [email protected].

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Contents
Features
7 8 11 Supporting People with Disabilities Living with Disability The Ongoing Struggle for Full Inclusion in Our Society Working Together Toward Independence The Kennedy Institute, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Washington 13  Not Just a Residence, But a Home La Paz and CAHI Housing, Catholic Charities, Diocese of St. Cloud 15 Always Looking for Ways to Serve  Community Outreach Program for the Deaf, Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona 16  Ensuring a Secure Place in the Human Community The U.S. Catholic Bishops on the Responsibilities of the Church to People with Disabilities 20  A True Servant and a Shining Example Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan, 1930-2013

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22  Feeding Rural Communities From Coast to Coast Walmart Foundation Grant Supports Approaches Tailored to Local Needs 26  Three Journeys, One Destination New Leadership Structure Positions Catholic Charities USA for the Future 28  Empowering Mission through Storytelling Sojourn Theatre to Bring New Approaches and New Voices to Annual Gathering 30  Working for Better Solutions in San Francisco 2013 Annual Gathering Host Helps People Thrive in the City by the Bay

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Departments
5 32 36 President’s Column Disaster Response CCUSA Update Working to Reduce Poverty in America

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Column
President’s

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very year, Catholic Charities in Germany— Deutscher Caritasverband—conducts a public awareness campaign dealing with a particular social issue. A few years ago, the campaign focused on people with disabilities. One poster that I remember featured a young woman confined to a wheelchair with a caption that expressed her thoughts: “I wish I had red hair.” Another young man, also sitting in a wheel chair, was thinking: “I hate my big nose.” I was struck by these captions. What they expressed was unexpected, but the meaning was clear. People with disabilities are not that different from people without disabilities. Typically when we look at people with disabilities, we see their deficits rather than their assets, or we focus on what makes them different from us rather than what makes them the same. The U.S. Catholic Bishops talked about this perception of difference in their 1978 Pastoral Statement on People with Disabilities: Prejudice starts with the simple perception of difference, whether that difference is physical or psychological…. People with disabilities are visibly, sometimes bluntly different from the norm, and we react to this difference. Even if we do not look down upon them, we tend all too often to think of them as somehow apart—not completely one of us.

not being defined by it. While we shouldn’t deny or overlook people’s disabilities, we can offer full acceptance, recognizing the challenges they face, accommodating them, and welcoming their gifts and talents. We as a network are working toward these ends. We provide services that help people with disabilities reach their full potential and achieve a good quality of life. We provide consultation with parishes on how they can better accommodate and welcome people with disabilities. We also work to affirm people’s assets and abilities. At Catholic Charities in the Twin Cities, where I used to work, our disabilities services office was called the Office for Persons with disAbilities, emphasizing what people with disabilities have to offer. Pope John Paul II said that there is no one so poor that they do not have something to give, and there is no one so rich that there is not something they need to receive. While he may have been speaking of economic and spiritual realities, I think it also applies to the talents and gifts we have all been given. Our job is to build community, to create the inclusivity that is an integral part of our Christian values. It takes people changing the way they think, as the Caritas Germany campaign pointed out, but the effort is worth it. With the engagement and participation of our brothers and sisters with disabilities, we as communities, as parishes, and as individuals are all the richer.

The Caritas Germany campaign understood this human impulse and worked to diffuse it, seeking a more inclusive society by inviting people to see those with disabilities in a new way—as people like the rest of us, living with a challenge but

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SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
What individuals with disabilities need, first of all, is acceptance in this difference that can neither be denied nor overlooked. No acts of charity or justice can be of lasting value unless our actions are informed by a sincere and understanding love that penetrates the wall of strangeness and affirms the common humanity underlying all distinction. — The Pastoral Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities, 1978

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he care that Catholic Charities agencies provide today for Americans with disabilities has its roots in the long-standing tradition of compassion exercised by faithful Catholics, particularly religious orders, who throughout much of the nineteenth century provided sanctuary to people with cognitive disabilities and taught religious education to the deaf and blind. In the late nineteenth century, these efforts developed, in tandem with public efforts, into large residential institutions for the deaf, blind, and cognitively disabled. Later, after the push for deinstitutionalization in the 1960s, Catholic Charities agencies responded to the need for supportive housing, establishing small group homes and community living support programs. Since that time, particularly in the last 20 years, the Catholic Charities network’s care for people with disabilities has broadened into a wide spectrum of services: job development, case management, counseling, guardianship, recreation, special education, and others. This expansion of services, while still founded in compassion and charity, has been informed by a greater appreciation for the gifts that people with disabilities offer, the potential they have for a self-directed life, and their desire to experience full inclusion in the life of our society. n

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LIVING WITH DISABILITY
THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR FULL INCLUSION IN OUR SOCIETY

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disability is defined by law as “a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” Disabilities include, for example, having difficulty seeing, hearing, communicating, walking, bathing, dressing, eating, taking care of oneself, doing activities outside the home, maintaining emotional health, and other activities. These difficulties arise from a host of physical and mental conditions that may be present at birth, arise from illness or disease or genetic predisposition, or come about as a result of injury or aging. Whatever the cause or whenever the onset, disabilities significantly affect people’s lives, making it difficult for them to function and achieve a high quality of life without support. Historically, people with disabilities have been mistreated—denied basic human and civil rights, abused and neglected, and often institutionalized or segregated from society in various ways. This mistreat-

ment stemmed largely from fear, ignorance, and a lack of compassion, but as societies have come to learn more about disability and respect the human rights of all people, people with disabilities have been afforded greater opportunities for personal development and inclusion in the life of the community. Twenty-three years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, marking a huge turning point for people with disabilities in the United States. This landmark civil rights legislation ensured that people with disabilities had equal opportunity and access to education, employment, housing, public services, transportation, technology, and the community. Since that time, great strides have been made to expand the rights and opportunities for people with disabilities, but people with disabilities still face significant barriers that prevent full inclusion in our society. These issues include:

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• H  ousing: People with disabilities face a severe housing crisis. Finding affordable and accessible housing is extremely difficult. Accessible housing offers features that accommodate the needs of people with disabilities, such as lowered kitchen counters, wheel-in showers, widened doorways, and entrances with no steps. However, there is a shortage of accessible housing and the cost to rent such units is often high. Further, people with disabilities often face discrimination when seeking housing. • Employment: Most people with disabilities are unemployed or underemployed, even though they want to participate in the work world. This occurs primarily because of a lack of training and support. Young people with disabilities often need a good deal of support to make the transition from school to employment. State vocational rehabilitation programs are helpful, but are typically underfunded. Poor wages and financial disincentives also contribute to the low employment rate. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, roughly 18 percent of people with disabilities were employed in 2012, in contrast to roughly 64 percent of people without disabilities. • E  ducation: Even though children with disabilities have been assured a free and appropriate public education, many of them struggle to get the quality education that will help them achieve success in their future lives. Special education programs are underfunded, and too often, children with disabilities are not taught by qualified special education teachers. Children with disabilities are also often segregated into self-contained classes, with few opportunities to participate socially or academically with their peers who do not have a disability. This often leaves them alienated and unprepared for adult life. • H  ealth Care: Whether due to unemployment, low wages, or pre-existing conditions, most people with disabilities do not have access to private health insurance and therefore rely heavily on Medicaid for both short- and long-term health care services and support. While the Affordable Care Act will provide a significant benefit by prohibiting discrimination based on pre-existing health status, Medicaid still has large biases toward institutionalized care as op-

posed to home-based or community-centered care. Additionally, funding for disability care is highly susceptible to budget cuts. Recent state cuts to Medicaid budgets have reduced the amount of funding available for health care for people with disabilities, making it that much harder for them to acheive their full potential. • Family Support: More than 65 million Americans care for a loved one who has a disability or who is chronically ill or elderly. These caregivers contribute a vast amount of time caring for their loved one, often foregoing jobs, career advancement, and other opportunities to do so. It is vitally important to meet caregivers’ needs—counseling, respite, cash assistance, training, information, referrals—so they can continue to provide care and keep people with disabilities in their homes and communities and out of costly institutionalized care. Some states offer limited support to family caregivers and there are some national programs that provide assistance, but generally family support is underfunded. •  Poverty: All of the above factors contribute to a high poverty rate among people with disabilities, significantly higher than the rate of poverty among people without disabilities. Disability contributes to poverty because of high unemployment, decreased educational opportunities, and discrimination. At the same time, poverty contributes to disability through lack of adequate health care, dangerous living conditions, and poor nutrition. Keeping safety net programs intact for people with disabilities is vital, as is addressing the above issues to prevent and mediate poverty. • R  ight to Life: At a very fundamental level, people with disabilites can also face challenges to their very right to life—the right to be born and the right to die a natural death. The unique challenges posed to people with disabilities by an adverse prenatal diagnosis, denial of medical care, or assisted suicide are evident. While these barrires are serious, people with disabilities who have adequate supports are achieving greater personal success and enjoying greater inclusion in our society. They represent what is possible and give hope to others with disabilities and to those who love, serve, and advocate for them. n

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HOW WE SERVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Housing
Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens operates 21 residences for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering 24-hour supervision, daily skills training, recreation, and a variety of psychological, social, and clinical services, such as medical care and speech training. The services and support provided at these residences give individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live independently and experience real autonomy.

Guardianship
Catholic Charities of North Dakota provides guardianship and other protective services for people with developmental disabilities throughout the state. Guardians act in the best interest of vulnerable adults who are unable to make their own decisions, while fostering the highest degree of independence possible.

Services for Autistic Children
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Madison, WI, employs autism specialists to provide families with information and resources related to Autism Spectrum Disorders. These specialists further provide consultations and trainings and host an autism conference each year. The agency also provides residential care for children with severe autism through its Youth Living Alternatives program.

Youth Activities
Catholic Community Services of Lane County in Springfield, OR, participates in a Transition Garden program for local youth with disabilities. CCS provides space for the garden plots and Transition Garden participants maintain and harvest the produce. The food is shared with homeless and low-income Lane County residents through the agency’s food pantries.

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WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD INDEPENDENCE
THE KENNEDY INSTITUTE, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
or more than 50 years, the Kennedy Institute of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Washington has been serving children and adults with a wide range of intellectual or developmental disabilities, as well as the families that love and care for them. With services that bridge the life span, the Kennedy Institute has been an invaluable support to the people it serves. Just ask Deatress McMillen. Her daughter, Kimberly, was born almost 20 years ago with an intellectual disability. She was referred early on to Catholic Charities’ Kennedy Institute, where she has been enrolled since she was a toddler. Kim grew up in the halls of the Kennedy School, where specialized learning programs helped her gain confidence in speaking Kimberly

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and fall in love with technology. Deatress watched with awe as her daughter grew into her own young adult, eventually securing a job at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Kim is now ready to tackle “travel training,” almost a rite of passage into the working world for young people who have a developmental or intellectual disability. It involves learning how to navigate public transit systems, including buses and trains. For a young person with a disability, the transit system can be a very overwhelming, distracting, and vulnerable environment. Yet it also represents the last barrier to the independence a job provides. Deatress has some trepidation about it all. “I know Kim is fearless and that scares me a little, but I know the staff will teach

her. I trust the staff at Kennedy completely. From day one, they were so loving, so protective and so caring,” said Deatress. She remembers when two-yearold Kim still wasn’t speaking at all. Kennedy staff saw that Kimberly responded to music and started teaching her to speak through song. Deatress also credits Kennedy with helping her. For families with a special needs child, time is a rare commodity. Providing a caring and supportive environment entails long hours researching school options, teaching lessons at home, and finding someone trustworthy to take care of one’s child. Deatress says Kennedy gave her the daily peace of mind that allowed her to return to school and eventually start her own small business while raising her daughter.

As Kimberly commutes to her job at the Department of the Interior, she’ll travel via public transportation, taking a bus and the train. At first, she’ll ride with a staff member from Kennedy, who will point out ways to remember the stop and safety habits. Then, she’ll start riding alone for part of the trip, with staff meeting her on the train halfway or meeting her at the end. Finally, she’ll make the trip alone. Her mom will be a nervous wreck, of course, but that’s just part of being a parent. It’s a big step for Kim, and for Mom as well. It represents the culmination of years of hard work, latenight phone calls with Kennedy staff to address challenges, and working together on Kim’s road to independence. n

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47 agencies offer programs specifically for people with physical  disabilities. In 2011, these agencies served 36,119 clients. 23 agencies engaged in legislative advocacy surrounding disabilities issues. 19 agencies provide sheltered workshops or employment programs  for people with disabilities.  0 agencies provide supervised living for people with 2 developmental disabilities.

agencies

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agencies agencies

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agencies

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Independent Living Skills
The Community Habilitation Program of Catholic Social Service in Guam is an independent living skills training and day program for individuals, age 18 and over, with severe disabilities. Participants learn to bathe and use the toilet, dress and groom themselves, use public transit, prepare simple meals, perform domestic chores, recognize surroundings, manage basic finances, shop for personal needs, and complete other tasks. The program also provides socialization opportunities, exercise and body awareness learning, and recreational activities.

Case Management
Commonwealth Catholic Charities in Richmond, VA, is one of the largest case management providers for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in central Virginia. The program serves people with developmental delays by providing oversight, coordination, and monitoring of the clients’ health care. Recipients receive coordination of care services, which aims to prevent placement in an intermediate care facility.

Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Catholic Charities Maine offers state-wide education services for blind and visually impaired children from birth through 21 years of age. The program provides assessment, instruction, and consultation to the children, their parents, and school personnel. Services include low vision training, braille instruction, and assistance in use of adaptive equipment to help children reach their fullest potential as independent, successful members of the community.

Work Training and Supported Employment
Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. in Superior, WI, operates four community rehab/work preparatory training centers that help individuals with multiple disabilities prepare for and secure community employment. The centers serve more than 400 individuals each year.

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NOT JUST A RESIDENCE, BUT A HOME
LA PAZ AND CAHI HOUSING, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, DIOCESE OF ST. CLOUD
n 1984, the movement that resulted in the Americans with Disabilities Act was gaining momentum. The National Council on Disability was assessing federal laws and programs that affected people who were physically challenged. In St. Cloud, MN, the local disabilities council recognized a need for specialized housing for those with physical challenges. “I went to meet with one potential resident at the time, and half of his living room was taken up by a ramp so he could use his patio,” said Harvey Schmitt, housing director at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud. “When he exited his building, they had a ramp, but it was so steep, he turned his wheelchair around so he wouldn’t fall out from the momentum.”

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The St. Cloud area disabilities council partnered with Catholic Charities to build Catholic Charities La Paz Community housing. The apartment complex houses 36 units of oneand two-bedroom apartments, designed for adults with physical disabilities and their families. “We had no ADA guidelines at the time. We just listened to the people who were potential residents,” recalled Schmitt. At the time, almost all potential residents were wheelchair bound. About 25 percent of them had cerebral palsy or some other issue they had had since birth, and the rest had been involved in automobile or other accidents. All could care for themselves in their new surroundings. Fast-forward 20 years, and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud was

again approached to meet a community need for those who are physically challenged. Catholic Charities CAHI (Community Alternative for Handicapped Individuals) was built in Paynesville, a rural town of about 2,000 people. “It was a completely different building experience because we had ADA Guidelines, best practices, and building codes we could rely on,” said Jim Rudolph, former director of property management at Catholic Charities. CAHI is different from La Paz in that it is an adult foster care facility—staff is on hand 24 hours a day to meet residents’ physical and medical needs. This is because residents’ physical needs are coupled with a developmental illness, a traumatic brain injury, or some other situation that affects cognition.

Both facilities have residents who have lived in them from the time they opened to nearly present day. “We really feel that means that we’re meeting their needs, and not just providing a place to reside, but truly a home,” said Rudolph. “One of our residents raised her son at La Paz,” says Schmitt. “To that young man, this place truly is his home.” n

The St. Cloud area disabilities council partnered with Catholic Charities to build Catholic Charities La Paz Community housing. The apartment complex was designed for adults with physical disabilities and their families.

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VOLUNTEERS STRETCH THE REACH OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Volunteers are an invaluable help to Catholic Charities agencies in providing life enriching services and activities to people with disabilities.

Volunteer Chore Services
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington’s Volunteer Chore Services program serves thousands of seniors and adults with disabilities statewide, helping them remain independent in their own homes through a network of caring community members. The services are provided at no charge and serve as a safety net for those individuals who cannot afford to pay for assistance and do not qualify for other assistance. Volunteers assist with housework, laundry, shopping, transportation, minor home repairs, respite care, cooking, and other tasks.

Recreation Camps
Catholic Charities of Orange County, CA, offers its “ReCreation Camps,” summer and weekend residential camp programs for adults and children with developmental disabilities, offering participants opportunities for fun, social interaction, and spiritual growth while providing valuable respite for parents and caregivers. The camp is staffed entirely by volunteers, from high school students to grandparents, who generously share their time, energy, and talents. The volunteers make possible a 1-to-1 counselor-to-camper ratio, ensuring that each camper feels included and supported.

A MOMENT TO SHINE
Patricia Callahan and Students at St. John the Baptist High School, West Islip, NY
As campus minister at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip, NY, Patricia Callahan encourages her students to develop their gifts while giving back to help others. Annually since January 2010, Tricia has brought students from St. John the Baptist to collaborate with residents in Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre’s Residential Services Program for Developmentally Disabled Adults to stage an annual variety show. The production, which features spirited singing and dancing between students and residents, is the culmination of nearly 1,700 total volunteer hours of practice and performance by Tricia and the students. About 85 students take part every year, building relationships with the developmentally-disabled adults and creating for each a moment to shine. For the high school students as well as the program residents, the variety show is truly a highlight of the year. n

Photo: Greg Shemitz, 3Vphoto.com

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ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SERVE
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR THE DEAF, CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA
orty years ago, a small group of deaf and hearing students and faculty at the University of Arizona founded a volunteer-run program to provide services for deaf people in the community. Four decades later, that program­ —Community Outreach Program for the Deaf (COPD)—is a professional agency going strong, providing a multitude of vital services for deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of hearing people throughout Southern Arizona. With just a desk and a phone at Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, COPD first focused on providing interpretation and employment services, counseling, and technical assistance with communication devices. Over the years, it has broadened its reach with a number of other valuable servicPhoto: Jay Rochlin

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es—case management, summer programs for deaf youth, life skills education, computer and financial literacy classes, and various other services. The program has also reached out to underserved people, seniors experiencing hearing loss, the deaf-blind, and, most recently, deaf refugees. “The program is always evolving,” said Anne Levy, executive director of COPD. “We are always looking for ways to fill in service gaps, always looking at funding opportunities that will allow us to serve people.” Just recently, for example, COPD entered into a partnership with the Federal Communications Commission to distribute cutting edge communication devices to help income-eligible deafblind people communicate and thrive in the world. COPD dis-

tributes the devices and trains deaf-blind people in using them. One device is a braille display, which can be linked wirelessly with computers, smartphones, and tablets. Through this device, text is transmitted into braille signals that deaf-blind people can read through specialized touch pads. Then users can type out a response using a braille keyboard. This device allows deaf-blind users to easily read and respond to emails and text messages, which makes a huge difference in their lives. COPD has also been working recently with deaf refugees. These people are some of the most challenging people to work with because they have very limited communication skills and have grown up without access to deaf services. Further, they have often been regarded as children in their native cultures and have

great difficulty adjusting to the responsibilities they are expected to fulfill as adults here in the United States. Slowly, COPD is making progress with this group—teaching them American Sign Language and building a supportive community for them. Through COPD, deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of hearing people throughout Southern Arizona are finding opportunities that help them and their families thrive. They are communicating, learning life skills, finding jobs, understanding their family and work responsibilities, advocating for themselves, and contributing in their communities—great accomplishments for them and the little group of volunteers who started COPD 40 years ago. n

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ENSURING A SECURE PLACE IN THE HUMAN COMMUNITY
The U.S. Catholic Bishops on the Responsibilities of the Church to People with Disabilities
Thirty-five years ago, in 1978, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a pastoral statement regarding people with disabilities. The statement called on the people of the church to examine their attitudes toward people with disabilities, act with justice and compassion toward them, and, recognizing their gifts, work to integrate them into the life of the community and of the church. The following excerpts, still relevant today, eloquently explore the church’s response to people with disabilities and their relationship to the church.

The Church’s Response to the Person with a Disability
oncern for people with disabilities was one of the prominent notes of Jesus’ earthly ministry. When asked by John’s disciples, “Are you He who is to come or do we look for another?” Jesus responded with words recalling the prophecies of Isaiah “Go back and report to John what you hear and see; the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, dead men are raised to life, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.”(Mt. 11:3-5) Persons with disabilities became witnesses for Christ, His healing of their bodies a sign of the spiritual healing He brought to all people. “Which is less trouble to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Stand up and walk?’ To help you realize that the Son has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He then said to the paralyzed man—“Stand up! Roll up your mat and go home.”(Mt. 9:5f ) The Church that Jesus founded would surely have been derelict had it failed to respond to His example in its attention

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to people with disabilities. It remains faithful to its mission when its members become more and more a people of the Beautitudes, a people blessed in their meekness, their suffering, their thirst for righteousness. We all struggle with life. We must carry on this struggle in a spirit of mutual love, inspired by Christ’s teaching that in serving others we serve the Lord Himself. (cf. Mt. 25:40) In doing so, we build a community of interdependent people and discover the Kingdom of God in our midst. The Church, through the response of its members to the needs of their neighbors and through its parishes, healthcare institutions and social service agencies, has always attempted to show a pastoral concern for individuals with disabilities. However, in a spirit of humble candor, we must acknowledge that at times were have responded to the needs of some of our people with disabilities only after circumstances or public opinion have compelled us to do so. By every means

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possible, therefore, the Church must continue to expand its healing ministry to these persons, helping them when necessary, working with them and raising its voice with them and with all members of society who are their advocates. Jesus revealed by His actions that service to and with people in need is a privilege and an opportunity as well as a duty. When we extend our healing hands to others, we are healed ourselves. On the most basic level, the Church responds to persons with disabilities by defending their rights. Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem in Terris stresses the innate dignity of all men and women. “In an ordered and productive community, it is a fundamental principle that every human being is a ‘person’. . . . [One] has rights and duties . . . flowing directly and spontaneously from [one’s] very nature. These rights are therefore universal, inviolable and inalienable.” The word inalienable reminds us that the principles on which our democracy is founded also guarantee certain rights to all Americans, regardless of their circumstances. The first of these, of course, is the right to life….Defense of the right to life, then, implies the defense of other rights which enable the individual with a disability to achieve the fullest measure of personal development of which he or she is capable. These

include the right to equal opportunity in education, in employment, in housing, as well as the right to free access to public accommodations, facilities and services. Those who must be institutionalized deserve decent, personalized care and human support as well as the pastoral services of the Christian community. Institutionalization will gradually become less necessary for some as the Christian community increases its awareness of disabled persons and builds a stronger and more integrated support system for them. It is not enough merely to affirm the rights of people with disabilities. We must actively work to make them real in the fabric of modern society. Recognizing that individuals with disabilities have a claim to our respect because they are persons, because they share in the one redemption of Christ, and because they contribute to our society by their activity within it, the Church must become an advocate for and with them. It must work to increase the public’s sensitivity toward the needs of people with disabilities and support their rightful demand for justice. Moreover, individuals and organizations at every level within the Church should minister to persons with disabilities by serving their personal and social needs. Many can function on their own as well as anyone in society. For others, aid would be welcome. All of us can

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visit persons unable to leave their homes, offer transportation to those who cannot drive, read to those who cannot read, speak out for those who have difficulty pleading their own case. In touching the lives of men, women and children in this way, we come closest to imitating Jesus’ own example, which should be always before our eyes. (cf. Lk. 4:1719, 21)

Persons with Disabilities and the Ecclesial Community
Just as the Church must do all in its power to help ensure people with disabilities a secure place in the human community, so it must reach out to welcome gratefully those who seek to participate in the ecclesial community. The central meaning of Jesus’ ministry is bound up with the fact that He sought the company of people who, for one reason or another, were forced to live on the fringe of society. (cf. Mk. 7:37) These He made the special object of His attention, declaring that the last would be first and that the humble would be exalted in His Father’s kingdom. (cf. Mt. 20: 16, 23:12) The Church finds its true identity when it fully integrates itself with these marginal people, including those who suffer from physical and psychological disabilities. If people with disabilities are to become equal partners in the Christian community, injustices must be eliminated and ignorance and apathy replaced by increased sensitivity and warm acceptance. The leaders and the general membership of the Church must educate themselves to appreciate fully the contribution people with disabilities can make to the Church’s spiritual life. They bring with them a special insight into the meaning of life; for they live, more than the rest of us perhaps, in the shadow of the cross. And out of their experience they forge virtues like courage, patience, perseverance, compassion and sensitivity that should serve as an inspiration to all Christians.

In the case of many people with disabilities, integration into the Christian community may require nothing more than issuing an invitation and pursuing it. For some others, however, full participation can only come about if the Church exerts itself to devise innovative programs and techniques. At the very least, we must undertake forms of evangelization that speak to the particular needs of individuals with disabilities, make those liturgical adaptations which promote their active participation and provide helps and services that reflect our loving concern… Full participation in the Christian community has another important aspect that must not be overlooked. When we think of people with disabilities in relation to ministry, we tend automatically to think of doing something for them. We do not reflect that they can do something for us and with us. As noted above, people with disabilities can, by their example, teach the non-disabled person much about strength and Christian acceptance. Moreover, they have the same duty as all members of the community to do the Lord’s work in the world, according to their God-given talents and capacity. n

We must undertake forms of evangelization that speak to the particular needs of individuals with disabilities, make those liturgical adaptations which promote their active participation and provide helps and services that reflect our loving concern.

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THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC PARTNERSHIP ON DISABILITY

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he National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) was founded in 1982 to implement the directions set forth in the U.S. Bishops’ 1978 Pastoral Statement on People with Disabilities. Since that time, NCPD has worked to “ensure meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of the life of the Church and society.” NCPD implements the Pastoral Statement by: • a  dvocating on issues affecting the life and dignity of people with disabilities, • p  roviding ongoing support and guidance to diocesan disability directors and other leaders in catechetical and pastoral ministries, • e  valuating diocesan services and training priests, seminarians, deacons, and other parish and diocesan personnel, and • d  eveloping a variety of resources to help parishes and dioceses understand disabilities and the issues surrounding them.

NCPD will be hosting its 2013 National Disability Ministry Conference

“Partnership 2013: Where Faith & Disability Meet”
November 1-3, Houston, TX
For registration information, visit www.ncpd.org.

Union with God and the Church The National Catholic Partnership on Disability provides support and resources to diocesan disability ministries, which are sometimes located within Catholic Charities agencies. Catholic Charities Cleveland is one such agency, having a centralized office that provides both disability services and the diocese’s disability ministry. The services run together seamlessly, led, uniquely, by two brothers, Dennis McNulty and Fr. Joe McNulty. “Everything we do is ministry, provided right across the spectrum of needs,” said Dennis, who oversees the disability services side but works closely with his brother on the ministry side. “Everything we do is geared to integration into the church and the community.” The Disability Ministry provides services to help people with disabilities participate fully in the life of the church. These include consulting with parishes to help them become

more welcoming and accommodating to people with disabilities; providing ministerial services that parishes do not have the resources to provide, such as catechetical instruction for children and young adults with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities; and coordinating and performing signed liturgies for the deaf and audio descriptions of special church celebrations for the blind. The program also provides educational and social events and a number of camps and retreats, which give disabled individuals opportunities to develop their faith, while providing respite to caregivers. Helping people with disabilities participate in the church is profoundly meaningful, not just for disabled individuals but also for their families, said Dennis. “When we bring in people with disabilities for union with the church and union with God, it has a wonderful impact on their growth and wellbeing. And for their families, it’s healing. They gain a sense of hope.” n

“Our charge is basically pastoral,” said Jan Benton, executive director of NCPD. “We ensure that Catholics with any disability at any age can be nourished in their faith, prepared for the sacraments, and able to participate in and contribute to the life of their parish.”

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“Bishop Sullivan was a true servant of God and a shining example of what it means to fully live out the Gospel call to serve. He was a respected leader that all looked up to and were inspired by.” — Rev. Larry Snyder

A TRUE SERVANT & A SHINING EXAMPLE
BISHOP JOSEPH M. SULLIVAN 1930-2013

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n June 7, Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan, retired auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn and decades-long advocate and leader in the Catholic Charities movement, passed away at the age of 83. With sadness but also gratitude for a life fully lived in service to all of God’s children, Catholic Charities USA pays tribute to this inspiring and endearing man.

player and was ordained a priest on June 2, 1956. After 24 years as a diocesan priest, including serving as executive director of the diocese’s Catholic Charities agency, he was named auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn by Pope John Paul II in October 1980 and served in that role until his retirement in 2005. During his time as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn, Bishop Sullivan was a constant representative of those served by Catholic social services agencies, sharing their stories in his responsibilities on numerous boards and coalitions. In 1999, he led the approval of a pastoral letter on charity by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops titled “In All Things Charity: A Pastoral Challenge for the New Millennium.” Bishop Sullivan played a formative role in developing the ongoing mission and vision of the Catholic Charities network. In 1972,

“Bishop Sullivan was a true servant of God and a shining example of what it means to fully live out the Gospel call to serve,” said Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA. “He was a respected leader that all looked up to and were inspired by.” Born and raised in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of the borough he would devote his life to serving, Joseph Sullivan turned down a potential career as a professional baseball

he was a key member of the group that produced the seminal report, “Toward a Renewed Catholic Charities Movement,” commonly known as the Cadre Study. He served as chair of the Catholic Charities USA Board of Trustees from 1974-1975, and from 1982 to 2000, served as Catholic Charities USA’s Episcopal Liaison. Following Bishop Sullivan’s retirement, Catholic Charities USA named an annual award after him. This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates excellence and leadership in delivering social services to children and families. Catholic Charities USA and the entire Catholic Charities network will always be tremendously grateful for the tireless example and inspiring leadership of this true servant of God.

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“POSSESSING A GREAT HUMANITY”
On June 12, a Mass of Christian Burial for Bishop Sullivan was held at Saint Ephrem’s Parish in Brooklyn, the church he attended as a child and the church where he celebrated his first Mass as a young priest in 1956 and his first Mass as a bishop in 1980. Bishop Sullivan’s close friend, Msgr. Joseph P. Nagle, delivered the eulogy, excerpted below, which captures the person he was. [Bishop Sullivan] possessed a great humanity….He was sympathetic to the human condition, and he understood and accepted the human frailties and weaknesses of people; their failings and failures, their human sinfulness and weakness. Because of those qualities he was found very approachable and very real—real to people…. He made us very proud to be a Catholic. Why? Because he gave credibility; he gave tremendous credibility to the Catholic Church in the public square, in the board rooms of New York City, in the congressional hearing rooms in Albany and Washington, and in public speaking platforms across this country. His voice was not a strident voice but an intelligent, articulate, respectful and compassionate voice always speaking on the behalf of the disenfranchised, those on the periphery of life, the poor, the vulnerable, the needy; always speaking for them, for them…. On one occasion, in his life…, he received a letter from his friend, the former Governor of New York Mario Cuomo, [who wrote:] With all of your gifts, and skills, and energy, you offer dozens of standards we would all do well to aspire to, but one stands above the rest, because it is sweet and particularly rare. There may never have been a time when the world was more in need of the Church’s model of restraint, respect, and responsibility, and you have taught and lived those standards admirably; but through your public work and in your private life, you have also expressed a deeper truth; that the greatest beauty of our faith springs from its positive applications in compassion, in charity, in giving ourselves up entirely to a good greater than we can comprehend. Certainly your career is a testament to the eloquence of Christ’s model of love. How fortunate, how blessed, how gifted we all have been to have had Joe Sullivan a part of our lives. And secondly, how fortunate, and blessed, and gifted he was to have had the long, and satisfying, and happy life and ministry that he did. n

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COMMUNITIES

FEEDING RURAL

FROM COAST TO COAST

WALMART FOUNDATION GRANT SUPPORTS APPROACHES TAILORED TO LOCAL NEEDS

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roostook County in Maine stretches across the northern half of the state, a 7,000-square-mile area made up of small rural communities that is the largest county by land area east of the Mississippi River. Catholic Charities Maine has served the people in Aroostook County for years, and like many agencies serving rural populations, found it a challenge to ensure that each of their 25 food pantries serving clients across such great distances had fresh, nutritious food.

that the money received from the grant has gotten them off the ground. “The Walmart funding has allowed us to put this plan into action—it’s not ‘how we do make this happen’ anymore, it’s ‘how can we expand this even wider?’” The money has gone toward the purchase of a tractor, rock picker, and other heavy-duty farm equipment. The Farm for ME program is just one aspect of the nationwide partnership between the Walmart Foundation and Catholic Charities USA to support rural food programs and expand the capacity of Catholic Charities agencies to serve the needs of hungry people across America. Serving as a national intermediary, Catholic Charities USA facilitated the distribution of $1.7 million in funding over 2 years to participating member agencies to focus on serving rural communities and providing much-needed food services to families and individuals in need. The first year of the program focused on building capacity among rural service providers, says Jane Stenson,

When they received a gift of donated farmland, Catholic Charities Maine began to explore growing their own food to supplement their food outreach efforts. The large price tag of farm equipment was initially daunting, but thanks to an opportunity through Catholic Charities USA, the agency was able to secure funds from the Walmart Foundation aimed at expanding access to healthy and affordable food. Dixie Shaw, program director for the project, called “Farm for ME,” said

Catholic Charities Maine began to explore growing their own food to supplement their food outreach efforts. The large price tag of farm equipment was initially daunting, but thanks to an opportunity through Catholic Charities USA, the agency was able to secure funds from the Walmart Foundation aimed at expanding access to healthy and affordable food.

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senior director of poverty reduction strategies at Catholic Charities USA. The second year of the grant broadened the focus from strictly rural agencies to cover a more diverse set of target populations and included a heavier emphasis on enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. One program in the first year that used the Walmart funding to expand rural services was Catholic Charities San Bernardino & Riverside Counties in southeastern California. In trailer parks located outside of population centers, immigrant families, and other low-income workers live in difficult conditions, far from anywhere that sells fresh produce or other nutritious food. Reaching out to these populations was a challenge, says Ken Sawa, CEO and executive vice president of Catholic Charities San Bernardino & Riverside Counties. “We were aware of the needs of hundreds of poor families living in very isolated trailer parks that dot the desert valley that our existing programs were not addressing,” says Sawa. While previous efforts to secure funds to target this

underserved community were unsuccessful, the Walmart Foundation grant enabled the agency to begin an unprecedented effort to reach out to these rural areas. The agency’s existing infrastructure was expanded to bring a greater distribution of fresh groceries and affordable food directly to the people in need, rather than relying on central distribution sites. Sawa says the response to these outreach efforts has been overwhelming. “Historically, those receiving groceries from our program have been a highly neglected population. The families have been amazed by our outreach because it is not common, and it is ongoing.” Sawa says his agency plans to eventually provide food distribution services to 15 trailer park communities, benefitting over 300 individuals. Over the long-term, Catholic Charities San Bernardino & Riverside Counties hopes to build a volunteer food bank that will have the potential to double their outreach efforts to these underserved communities. In addition to simply ensuring that individuals and families are able to put healthier food on the table, nutrition

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BUILDING CAPACITY, RESPONDING TO NEED
outreach efforts also lead to broader engagement with the communities being served. “Food is often a gateway to more conversations,” says Stenson, adding that the outreach around food and nutrition often leads to a better understanding and approaches to addressing the needs of a local community. She pointed to Catholic Charities of Omaha, which worked together with leadership on nearby Native American reservations to expand the efforts of the agency among those needing services. Sawa says that the food outreach efforts have broadened engagement with those served in San Bernardino as well: “Our work with these families has created a trust that opens the door to other community services and programs that could be very beneficial to the families and their children.” In Aroostook County, ME, Shaw is leading the Farm for ME program, which is using the farm equipment purchased by the grant funds to grow organic vegetables. “This year we’re expanding to three acres of fresh vegetables; one acre of squash, one of beets, and one of rutabaga,” Shaw says. “We hope to work with a small processing plant so we can have them in our freezers in the fall as well.” With the equipment bought and paid for, the ongoing growing and harvesting of crops can continue for years into the future with very little expense to the agency, Shaw said. Their current initiative, like San Bernardino’s, is building a volunteer base from local colleges, fraternities, and service organizations to help recruit volunteers to help harvest the crop every fall. For the Catholic Charities agency serving those in northern Maine, just as agencies serving rural communities across America, the Walmart grant has allowed them to ensure that no matter where the people they serve live they have access to high-quality, affordable, and delicious food. “This has really set the stage for us to be able to bring in so much fresh and nutritious food to the people we serve,” Shaw says. “It’s been a blessing.” n
The following agencies participated in the first two years of the Walmart Foundation grant program, each using the funds to address the unique needs of their communities. • Catholic Charities, Arlington, VA • Catholic Charities, Charlotte, NC • Catholic Charities, Chicago, IL • Catholic Charities, Fresno, CA • Catholic Charities, Houston, TX • Catholic Charities, Madison, WI • Catholic Charities Maine • Catholic Charities of Central Colorado • Catholic Charities of Central Florida • Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi, Inc., TX • Catholic Charities of Gallup, NM • Catholic Charities, Omaha, NE • Catholic Charities, Raleigh, NC • Catholic Charities, Reno, NV • Catholic Charities, San Bernardino & Riverside Counties, CA • Catholic Charities, Springfield, IL • Catholic Charities, Stockton, CA • Catholic Charities West Virginia • Catholic Social and Community Services, Biloxi, MS •  Northern Valley Catholic Social Services, Tehama County, CA n

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THREE JOURNEYS, ONE DESTINATION
NEW LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE POSITIONS CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA FOR THE FUTURE
reflect on the first two months of the new leadership structure and their calling to be leaders of CCUSA’s national efforts to reduce poverty in America. Fr. Larry Snyder, president, said there were three reasons he believed the creation of a chief operating officer (COO) and an executive vice president would help CCUSA be more responsive to the needs of its member agencies. “First, the national office has become more complex as an organization,” Fr. Larry said. “There are several layers of complexity now at the national office.” In the past few years, Catholic Charities USA has seen the creation of separate corporations to run its health benefit trust and manage its building, and further separate corporate structures are in development. Additionally, Fr. Larry pointed out, his role as the public face of Catholic Charities USA has produced ever-increasing demands on his time. “The role of the president has changed; I spend more time out of the office than I do in the office, representing our network to numerous other national organizations, to church organizations, and to the Vatican.” Simply put, he said, he found himself with not enough time to efficiently manage a corporation. In examining other peer institutions, he saw the need for an experienced leader dedicated to increasing efficiency in the organization’s daily work. “We looked at the best management structures, the best management practices in the nonprofit world, and saw that having a COO to direct the management of the office and manage liability was the best structure,” Fr. Larry said. “The need for a COO became very apparent.” For his part, Styles said, the opportunity to follow a new career path to help serve the poorest and neediest among us was a challenge he couldn’t pass up. His responsibilities include the daily management and administration of all

The executive leadership of CCUSA, pictured from left to right, Rev. Larry Snyder, Keith Styles and Candy Hill.

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ne worked as a successful lawyer in private practice, advising Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, non-profit and government organizations in real estate transaction, financing deals, and governance issues. One spent over two decades working in state government before translating that experience into a career advocating for human services reform at the local and national level. And one is a former high school teacher who followed Christ’s call to a life of service and ministry and just celebrated his 25th anniversary as a priest.

By combining their diverse skills and experiences, Keith Styles, Candy Hill, and Rev. Larry Snyder are providing leadership in a revamped and renewed management structure at Catholic Charities USA. Through the creation of new positions and the delegation of key responsibilities, the three top executives of the national office of the Catholic Charities movement hope to bring best leadership practices to an organization with over 100 years of history as it pursues its mission of service, advocacy, and convening. The three executives recently sat down at Catholic Charities USA’s national headquarters to

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operational aspects of Catholic Charities USA, overseeing the finance, mission and ministry, programs and services, and disaster response departments, as well as information technology, the CCUSA health care trust, financial relationships, and business operations. While Styles will focus largely on improving the operations of Catholic Charities USA, Hill’s portfolio will expand to cover all external-facing communications and fundraising efforts. The former senior vice president of social policy and government affairs, Hill’s new title—executive vice president of social policy and external affairs—reflects her

new roles and responsibilities. Her experiences in her previous role, she said, will help her succeed in her new position. “In working with the administration and Congress, advocacy work is all about building relationships and being a resource when called on,” Hill said. “Likewise, development is also about building relationships, attracting people to support our mission. While the stakeholders are somewhat different, the skill sets are the same.” With a combined 16 years of experience in leadership roles at Catholic Charities USA, both Hill and Snyder

believe this new way forward will help the organization to accomplish even more. Styles also has a history of working to position Catholic Charities USA for the future, serving as outside general counsel for eight years before joining the organization. “I believe our new internal structure will allow us to continue our work of fighting poverty in better, more creative ways,” said Fr. Larry. While the president, chief operating officer, and executive vice president all come from different backgrounds, they have a single focus—to continue CCUSA’s pursuit of excellence and to live out its mission

in ever-more effective and productive ways. “The three of us have a strong foundation of respect, trust, and doing what’s best for the organization,” Styles said. “Make no mistake, Fr. Larry is still the president of CCUSA—it’s up to Candy and I to execute his vision and help CCUSA become an ever-better organization.” n

HARVESTING THE SEEDS OF SERVICE & JUSTICE
K eith Styles, CCUSA’s new chief operating officer and general counsel, shared the following thoughts about his new role on Fr. Snyder’s blog, Think and Act Anew. My parents always stressed the importance of serving those in need and giving back of your time and talents. Throughout my career, I sought out opportunities to lend my expertise and knowledge to organizations that shared that mission of service to those in need. Over the years, my ongoing work with Catholic Charities USA, as well as Central Union Mission in Washington, D.C. and other nonprofits, was a constant reminder of what was really important, and a way to reconnect to my roots of faith-based service. The energy and commitment I saw from Catholic Charities agencies to help individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency and make a better life for themselves was infectious. One experience that will always stick with me was travelling with CCUSA’s leadership for a meeting in early 2006 in New Orleans, just five months after Hurricane Katrina had devastated the region. The rows and rows of destroyed houses, each marked with a spraypainted tally of the number of survivors and deceased, was an unbelievably powerful experience that sticks with me to this day. I remember the superhuman efforts of Catholic Charities New Orleans, which served so many despite a severe lack of resources. Experiencing the devastation first-hand filled me with resolve that we as a nation simply can’t let something like that happen again. I couldn’t resist the call to become part of this organization with such a long history of helping people in need – and such potential for bringing about substantive change….It’s as if I’m coming full circle, back to the seeds of service and justice planted in my childhood in Connecticut. I couldn’t be more excited. n

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EMPOWERING MISSION THROUGH STORYTELLING

Sojourn Theatre To Bring New Approaches and New Voices to Annual Gathering

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he stories, experiences, and successes of case managers, program directors, executive leadership, and even bishops were heard during last year’s Catholic Charities USA Annual Gathering– but not in the way you might think. They were presented in an unexpected and powerful new medium— a dramatic work acted out on stage by a group of talented actors dedicated to highlighting the power of storytelling to advance an organization’s mission.

Throughout their work with Catholic Charities agencies, such as workshops and featured presentations, Sojourn Theatre has led members of CCUSA’s network in discovering the power of telling a compelling story based on the experiences of those they serve. “Our capacity building workshops focus on building collaboration through story, and by story, I mean the framing of narrative as a tool for communication internally and externally,” said Rohd. “We also practice a model for bringing people into discourse. In the workshop, we model a way to have a conversation about poverty.” Rohd has long been interested in bringing performance art out of the world of drama and into dialogue with civic organizations and other mission-driven organizations. “Artists bring certain assets. Their job is to listen, to synthesize, and then to express what they’ve heard,” said Rohd. “What’s beneficial about our partnership with Catholic Charities USA is that we are getting to build a model of work between ourselves and a national organization, showing how this kind of collaboration can serve the needs of an organization.” This year Sojourn Theatre will develop another original performance to share the story of the Catholic Charities movement. It will continue the dialogue that began with their performance last year and will include what they gathered through their interviews of attendees from the regional gatherings. “We will come full circle,” said Rohd. “We will tell the story of what we learned and saw and bring in new and different voices.” n

The group, Sojourn Theatre, is an innovative theatre ensemble that sometimes collaborates with civic organizations to tell their story through creative practice and documentary theatre. Throughout the Annual Gathering, Sojourn Theatre artists interviewed dozens of conference attendees, which culminated in a powerful closing performance drawn directly from the words of those interviewed during the conference. This performance, titled Lean In, explored the work, mission, and values of the Catholic Charities movement and its ongoing national campaign to reduce poverty. Portions of Lean In have been presented at regional Partners in Excellence gatherings, bringing the insights and stories shared at the Annual Gathering to hundreds more who were unable to attend. The partnership with CCUSA has given Sojourn Theatre the opportunity to develop a very specific manifestation of cross-sector collaboration, one that other organizations can look to and consider for themselves. Michael Rohd, founder of Sojourn Theatre, says this new collaboration and relationship with CCUSA is “just about perfect.” Its engagement as artists-in-residence for CCUSA, allows Sojourn Theatre to use its artistic assets to help Catholic Charities agencies build capacity and strengthen their organizational culture of speaking out on behalf of those who do not have a voice.

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WORKING FOR BETTER SOLUTIONS IN SAN FRANCISCO
2013 Annual Gathering Host Helps People Thrive In The City By The Bay
By Traci Mysliwiec
In the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Catholic Charities CYO’s (CCCYO) mission is to serve and advocate for the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized by strengthening families, building community, and reducing poverty. For member agencies of the Catholic Charities network, these are familiar ambitions. We all face the same challenges and experience the same joys when a family achieves stable housing, a senior enjoys a hot meal, or a child begins to flourish as his or her selfesteem improves. CCCYO sustains 34 programs that provide lifelines for more than 35,000 clients each year across San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties, from providing support for at-risk youth and families, caring for people with HIV, welcoming newcomers with respect, and assisting seniors and their caregivers with adult day care. For those particularly struggling with meeting their basic needs, the agency works to improve stability and self-sufficiency. “We aim to address social issues and effect better long-term solutions, not simply help in the moment. Building bridges to opportunity for the people we serve, we offer those who need it a hand up, not just a hand-out, as they strive for selfsufficiency,” explains Jeff Bialik, executive director of Catholic Charities CYO. “There is no ceiling on opportunity here in the United States, but there has to be a floor below which no one is allowed to fall. We provide that social safety net here in the Bay Area.” To help alleviate homelessness in San Francisco, Catholic Charities CYO recently partnered with private philanthropists Marc and Lynne Benioff and the Salesforce.com Foundation to create the Star Community Home, an emergency shelter for homeless single women with children. “Catholic Charities CYO was able to mobilize quickly,” said Bialik. “In a miraculous three weeks in December 2011, the Star Community Home went from concept to move-in through quick work and collaboration. This partnership reflects a new model of tackling community needs by combining private will and financial resources with non-profit infrastructure and capacity.” The shelter helps 15 families at a time stabilize their living situation by meeting their basic needs and providing intensive case management services, parenting education, children’s activity programs, and housing placement assistance. Since it opened, nearly 30 families have found a permanent home and a brighter future due to the foundation they were able to establish while living at the Star Community Home. Catholic Charities CYO further operates a number of homelessness prevention programs—rental subsidies, wrap-around case management,

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and comprehensive supportive services—which are designed to help clients break the cycle of poverty and ultimately achieve long-term housing stability and independent living. The agency also works for the long-term benefit of youth, newcomers, and the sick and elderly. Catholic Charities CYO helps at-risk youth create a healthy, self-sufficient future through residential treatment facilities, foster family placement, and group homes. St. Vincent’s School for Boys, for example, provides residential treatment and mental health services for some of Northern California’s most emotionallychallenged youth. The children receive intensive behavioral therapy, comprehensive mental health services, and

educational support that allows them to return to their families to heal together. Children and youth throughout the area also benefit from CCCYO’s enrichment activities— summer camps, sports, and outdoor education—which foster their physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth and help prevent at-risk behaviors. The agency’s Refugee and Immigrant Services assists newcomers in becoming fully-active participants in the economic, social, and civic life of our communities. During the past few months alone, the program has assisted nearly 1,000 young DREAMers with deferred action applications and hosted a

number of outreach events to educate the community about comprehensive immigration reform. Since 1985, Catholic Charities CYO’s Assisted Housing and Health Programs have provided HIV positive men and women with long-term housing, health education, and counseling support, ensuring that the program residents’ medical, psychological, social and vocational needs are met. More than 900 clients are served with housing and other support services annually. Catholic Charities CYO’s Aging Services programs maintain and improve the physical and mental well-being of seniors and those who care for them. “We help prevent their

premature or unnecessary institutionalization, while also providing respite and supportive services for their caregivers,” said Bialik. “By finding ways to break isolation barriers and support the elderly in their homes and community, we offer a range of services so they are able to age in place.” With this brief glimpse into our world, we look forward to welcoming the CCUSA network to the City by the Bay this September. We invite you to visit our programs, watch our innovation at work, and share your ideas in strengthening the work we all do to serve the most vulnerable among us. n
Traci Mysliwiec is communications officer for Catholic Charities CYO.

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Response
A PERPETUAL STATE OF DISASTER
SANDY HOOK SCHOOL SHOOTING, CONNECTICUT
Just hours after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday, December 14, 2012, in Newtown, CT, staff at Catholic Charities of Fairfield County and the Diocese of Bridgeport were deciding how to respond. Learning that 9 of the 20 victims were members of the town’s St. Rose of Lima Parish, they knew they could best serve by supporting the parish and the Catholic community in Newtown. By evening, three counselors were at the parish, providing a supportive presence to the parish’s pastor, Msgr. Bob Weiss, and the throngs of people seeking a place to sit and pray and cry. They stayed through that weekend and the following week, offering comfort and consolation, protecting people from the media, assisting with the numerous funerals, and counseling with parish school staff about the well-being of the children. Catholic Charities also began offering counseling to anyone affected by the tragedy at its local offices. A few months after the tragedy, when it became clear that the mental health needs were greater than the parish could manage, Msgr. Weiss arranged with Catholic Charities to provide counseling to the children in the parish school and in the parish’s Religious Education program, as well as to teachers, parents, and parishioners. From March until June, the counselors were a calming presence at the school and in the lives of the children, helping them understand what happened, especially from a faith perspective, and encouraging their recovery. When school starts again in the fall, Catholic Charities is prepared to support the children as long as necessary.

Disaster

With so many disasters occurring across the nation, both natural and manmade, our network is in a perpetual state of disaster response. It’s been less than a year since Superstorm Sandy hit the North Atlantic coast, and even as our agencies in that region continue helping storm victims recover, other agencies are responding to still more disasters, many incredibly destructive and deadly. Catholic Charities USA has provided support and emergency grants of $10,000 to impacted agencies, including the four mentioned below, as they have responded to people in need.

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BLACK FOREST WILDFIRE, COLORADO
Less than a year after the Waldo Canyon fire blazed near Colorado Springs, CO, another wildfire brought disaster back to the region. On June 11, the Black Forest fire shot up quickly in the forested hills northeast of the city, burning homes in its first hour on its way to becoming the state’s most destructive fire. Over 500 homes were destroyed, ranging from trailer homes to multi-million dollar mansions. Catholic Charities of Central Colorado took part in the community’s effort to respond. They fed county emergency responders at the agency’s dining center and helped set up and staff a Disaster Assistance Center. While providing assistance to fire victims, staff members saw such grief, confusion, and anger that they organized an “Out of the Ash” gathering for fire victims at Our Lady of the Pines parish in Black Forest. Counselors and Stephen ministers were there to listen and accompany people through their grief. More than 100 fire victims attended, most of whom were elderly and extremely overwhelmed. The agency also partnered with a local café in Black Forest to provide a staging center for the agency’s outreach efforts. An outreach team based there traveled around the area, visiting people—many living in tents and campers on their property—to assess their needs and deliver supplies. Catholic Charities is now working with its community partners to develop a long-term case management strategy.

FERTILIZER PLANT EXPLOSION, TEXAS
The fertilizer plant explosion that rocked West, TX, on April 17, killed 15 people, injured 200, and damaged or destroyed more than 800 structures, including two schools, a nursing home, an apartment complex, and hundreds of homes. Some homes were totally demolished, while others were declared uninhabitable. The explosion lifted many homes off their foundations and dropped them back down crooked. Tiny shards of glass from blasted windows were embedded in walls and furniture, and toxic gas had seeped into mattresses and carpets. Catholic Charities of Central Texas in Austin went to work quickly after the blast, collaborating with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in West and the local Catholic parish, St. Mary’s, to provide case management, mental health services, and financial assistance for food, lodging, and other items. With this help, people were able to meet their basic needs and find temporary and/ or permanent new housing. Once people found stable housing, Catholic Charities and its partners helped them get settled. With cash and inkind donations, the agency provided more than 220 families with a “House in a Box”—a set of furniture and housewares including a sofa, dining table and chairs, beds, linens, and kitchen items. The community is on the road to recovery, but many are still struggling with the loss they have experienced. Catholic Charities is providing mental health support as needed.

EF-5 TORNADO, OKLAHOMA
The EF-5 tornado that blasted through Moore, OK, on May 20, left a swath of destruction 17 miles long and 1 mile wide. It was the worst of a series of tornadoes and severe storms that affected more than 14,000 families in several areas on the outskirts of Oklahoma City in late May. Catholic Charities in Oklahoma City has been active in the response since the beginning. With the assistance of several disaster personnel from other Catholic Charities agencies and Catholic Charities USA, the agency provided emergency disaster services at five multi-agency disaster assistance centers. Through the generosity of donors, the agency was able to give out $380,000 in gift cards to over 3,000 families for immediate needs, in addition to providing counseling, referrals, financial assistance for housing and utility payments, and other services. The agency has also been helping families assess the condition of their homes and understand the ins and out of disaster funding and insurance claims, while coordinating volunteers and trade workers to help clean up and make repairs to homes. Catholic Charities is now transitioning to longterm disaster case management and recovery, providing case management at a multi-agency center formed through a collaboration of community nonprofits and disaster responders. With so many people affected, every agency is scaling up, including Catholic Charities, which is hiring 12 new staff members for the duration of the disaster recovery effort. n

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DISASTER
B U I L D I N G P R E PA R E D N E S S A N D R E S I L I E N C E
By Samuel Chambers, Jr. Disasters can strike anywhere, at any time, with or without warning. The impact is always dramatic and significant for those immediately impacted, as well as for those who are called upon to provide rescue, response, and recovery efforts. We have come a long way in building capacity for coordinated response and support, as witnessed in the aftermath of events such as Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, Superstorm Sandy, the Newtown shooting, the wildfires in California and Colorado, and the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma, to name a few. Across the nation, though, elected officials, disaster professionals, and many others now recognize the increasing need to focus just as intensely on disaster preparedness and resilience as the new frontiers. Disasters are an eventuality. The question is not whether a disaster will happen, natural or manmade, but rather when one will happen. There is sufficient historical and other data available to make reasonably accurate predictions about those areas of the nation that are more prone to certain types of disasters, such as the Gulf Coast, which becomes a target every year when hurricane season arrives, or the Upper Midwest, which is prone to storms and flooding every spring. With more accurate predictions, states and communities can more effectively prepare. A recent review of tornado reports for the period January 1 through June 4 of this year, for example, clearly indicates that the midsection of the nation has already demonstrated a proneness to severe weather, in-

ARE YOU READY FOR

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cluding tornadoes. States such as Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Nebraska are located within the area historically referred to as “tornado alley.” Communities located within these states would be well-advised to invest in strategies aimed at educating their citizens about the dangers of tornadoes, the steps that residents need to take in preparing for their safety in the event of a reported tornado, the location of shelters, the use of evacuation routes, etc. To the extent that leaders in each of these jurisdictions invests in strategies to prepare their citizens for such an eventuality, that jurisdiction is better able to avoid deaths, minimize injuries, and rebuild their communities after the tornado.

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Disaster planning must focus on two priorities: preparing for whatever comes and building community resilience. Focusing solely on preparedness, without taking steps to ensure a community’s ability to “snap back,” is now being realized as a mistake. Resilience is defined as “the ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune.” Because a disaster can result in all three of these conditions, community leaders must begin to focus on those actions that will ensure their community’s viability and capability to not only respond, but to recover as quickly as possible. In the article, “What is Resilience?” Kendra Cherry writes the following: Resilience does not eliminate stress or erase life’s difficulties. Instead, it gives people the strength to tackle problems head on, overcome adversity and move on with their lives. In the wake of traumas such as the 9/11 attacks and the Hurricane Katrina disaster, many individuals demonstrated the behaviors that typify resilience. Even in the face of these events

that seem utterly unimaginable, people are able to marshal the strength to not just survive, but to prosper. According to the American Psychological Association, there are ten ways to build resilience, as follows: • Make connections • A  void seeing crises as insurmountable problems • Accept that change is a part of living • Move toward your goals • Take decisive action •  Look for opportunities for self-discovery • Nurture a positive view of yourself • Keep things in perspective • Maintain a hopeful outlook • Take care of yourself While these actions can help individuals build resilience within themselves, they are also applicable and useful at the family, institution, and community levels. While we

as individuals can be responsible for building our own personal resilience, our leaders, whether appointed or elected, have the critical role of providing vision, spirit, encouragement, facilitation, and direction for our public institutions, government, and the greater community to ensure its health, welfare, and recovery from any unfortunate disaster. Catholic Charities USA continues to provide national, state, and local leadership and support in the areas of disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and community resilience. Whether through its on-theground deployment of trained professionals who provide support in the form of disaster case management services, coordination of resources, planning and consultation, short term and long term grants, community assessments, community training, or other related activities, we remain a key contributor to the health of our communities. n Samuel Chambers, Jr. is senior vice president of disaster operations for Catholic Charities USA.

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Rev. Larry Snyder Celebrates 25 Years as a Priest
In May, Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on May 28, 1988, after completing his seminary training at St. Paul Seminary. Fr. Snyder spent the first few years of his ministry in the Twin Cities as a diocesan priest. He later joined Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, where he worked for 13 years and became executive director. In 2005, he became president of Catholic Charities USA. Throughout his years of faithful service and inspiring leadership, Fr. Snyder has led the Catholic Charities movement in developing bold and innovative approaches to reducing poverty in America. We thank Fr. Snyder for his leadership, vision, and example.

Update
CCUSA Welcomes Student Interns with Bethlehem University

CCUSA

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atholic Charities USA partnered with Bethlehem University, a Catholic university located in the Holy Land, to sponsor a select group of students to spend the summer learning and serving with Catholic Charities agencies across America.

The eight Palestinian students spent a one-week orientation at CCUSA before spending six weeks working at local Catholic Charities agencies across the country. This cross-cultural internship program gave the visiting students an introduction to poverty on both a micro- and macro-level, as well as an opportunity to share their own experiences with the staff and volunteers of local agencies. By inaugurating this first-of-its-kind program, CCUSA will continue to pursue innovative partnerships that will add to a holistic understanding of the root causes of poverty, offering the students the chance to share their lessons with their communities in Palestine. “We are very happy to be able to offer these students with opportunities for onthe-ground experience helping others through social services,” said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of CCUSA. “This internship program is an opportunity to stu-

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dents to engage with the mission of the Catholic Church and apply it to the real-world challenges facing so many. We hope they will take these life-altering experiences and stories back to Palestine and call others to meet the needs of their community.” CCUSA Continues Partners in Excellence Series and Presents Social Innovation Awards

by Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford, connects young children from its preschool and seniors from its Hispanic Senior Center. By building a physical space to accommodate both younger and older generations, the program utilizes the experience of seniors to assist young children entering school without the skills necessary to succeed. • Th  e Cabrini Program of the Diocese of Providence Office of Community Services & Catholic Charities helps working parents afford child care by targeting families whose income is just above eligibility for state-assisted child care. Without the Cabrini Program, these families could face tremendous financial difficulty obtaining child care and keeping a job. Over the past 6 years, the program has helped over 700 families achieve stability in providing for their children. • Th  e Community Resource Warehouse of Catholic Charities Diocese of Camden collects and distributes new or gently used donated clothing, furniture, appliances, housewares, school supplies, and other items to people in need in the community, particularly refugee families, families in an emergency, and families relocating from a domestic violence shelter into a new home. Providing furniture and household assistance helps families establish a stable functional life. • Th  e Homeless Veterans Single Room Occupancy Program of Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Scranton is a transitional housing program for homeless veterans. Residents receive case management and counseling services to help them move toward independence and self-sufficiency. Two awards will be presented at each regional gatherings taking place across the country in 2013 and 2014. Recipients of the award each receive $5,000 that must be reinvested in the award-winning program. n

Catholic Charities USA recently held a Partners in Excellence Regional Gathering in Philadelphia, bringing together over 300 members of the Catholic Charities family for workshops on mission, connection, and professional development. The Partners in Excellence series seeks to connect all levels of the Catholic Charities family. Catholic Charities USA leadership, board members, heads of local Catholic Charities agencies, and volunteers convene to establish connections throughout the entire Catholic Charities network. Specifically, Partners in Excellence provides an opportunity for reflection on both the spiritual and practical role of Catholic Charities in the fight against poverty. At the two most recent Partners in Excellence gatherings in Portland, ME, and Philadelphia, CCUSA presented four new Social Innovation Awards to the following programs: •  The inter-generational program at El Centro De Desarrollo y Reafirmacion Familiar (El Centro Family Center), run

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NewsNotes
Catholic Charities Jacksonville Ministers to Seafarers
“A very large percentage of the international seafarers coming through Jacksonville’s ports are Catholic. Sometimes they are at sea for months and have not been fulfilled spiritually or communicated with their family. This ministry is very important to them,” said Deacon Gjet Bajraktari, director of the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) ministry, a program of the Jacksonville, FL, regional office of Catholic Charities. Deacon Gjet began as a volunteer for AOS when it did not have a physical center for the seafarers to visit. There is now a center at both Jacksonville ports, Talleyrand and Blount Island, where seafarers can come to use the phone to call home, a computer for email, and a chapel for prayer. Apostleship of the Sea is an international ministry, and this past April, Deacon Gjet and Catholic Charities Jacksonville hosted the annual conference. Program directors from Ireland, the Dominican Republic, and all over the United States attended. Father Sinclair Oubre, president of AOS-USA presented Catholic Charities Jacksonville with the National Maritime Samaritan Award.

Catholic Charities in Houston Celebrates 70 Years

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atholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is filled with gratitude for the thousands of supporters and donors who have contributed to the agency over the past seven decades and is thankful for the opportunity to provide help and create hope for so many people.

The 70th anniversary will be celebrated at a Mass scheduled for October 20 in the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston presided by His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. This celebration of 70 years is also a celebration of the men, women and children whose lives have been changed, who have faced great difficulties, but by God’s unfailing grace and the compassion of others have found a fresh start. Some of these people have become the community’s greatest supporters, like Albert Kasumaj, now a young leader and Catholic Charities board member. His story began in his native homeland of Kosovo in 1999. He had completed high school and was pursuing a degree in electrical engineering when the Kosovo crisis forced him and his family to leave their home and country behind. The Kasumaj family was dispatched to a refugee camp in Macedonia, where they lived in a communal tent. Albert was given an opportunity to legally migrate to the United States as a refugee.

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“Acclimating and restarting our lives was not easy,” said Albert. “As we settled in Houston, we quickly found out about the tremendous spirit of the town and its people. Catholic Charities was key in supporting our family as refugees until we gradually became self-sufficient.” Albert worked full-time to support his family, while attending college and studying information technology and finance. He later became part of the Catholic Charities family, helping other Kosovar refugees and also assisting the IT staff. At age 25, he graduated with honors from the University of Houston and was recruited by ExxonMobil Corporation. Now a family man with two young sons, Albert continues to give back, serving as a member of the Catholic Charities Board and as the Advocacy Committee chairman. (He is pictured opposite with CEO Cynthia N. Colbert.) “The great support that my family and I received from Catholic Charities is a true testament of the tremendous impact that the organization has within our community,” Albert said. “Serving Catholic Charities now in a different capacity has been a privilege, and I hope others join me in making a difference for our community in any way we can.” Many thanks to Catholic Charities’ faithful supporters who share the mission to serve as a sign of God’s love and compassion in the community.

Jack Balinsky Honored by New York State Catholic Charities Directors

services and presence of Catholic Charities in the 12-county diocese, from three subsidiary agencies to ten. Balinsky directs a diocesan Catholic Charities family of agencies and affiliates that provides assistance services to more than 250,000 people annually. Catholic Charities Omaha Opens New Journeys Facility Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Omaha opened its new Journeys substance abuse and mental health treatment facility to adolescent patients in April. The renovated facility will combine residential and outpatient programs in one location, enabling the organization to become more efficient and serve an additional number of adolescents in need of treatment. The facility offers 16 beds for residential treatment, an increase from the 12 available at the former facility. It also houses the outpatient programs previously located in West Omaha, including initial screening and assessment and community reintegration services. Combining facilities means therapists and students will spend less time in transit between facilities and more time engaged in programming. “Despite the recent reduction in resources available to adolescents with mental health and substance abuse issues, we continue to see an increase in the need for these services,” said John Griffith, executive director of Catholic Charities of Omaha. “Bringing all of our services together under one roof creates a stronger base for the program, streamlines efficien-

Jack Balinsky, director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester, recently received the Bishop Mugavero Award from the New York State Catholic Conference Council of Catholic Charities Directors. The award recognizes an individual who, in the spirit of the late Bishop Francis Mugavero, has made a significant and sustained contribution to the work of charity and social justice on a statewide level. The award was presented at the annual convening of the Council of Catholic Charities Directors in Albany, NY, in March. In a letter announcing the award, the Council said Balinsky had provided outstanding leadership to Catholic Charities in Rochester and the NYS Council of Catholic Charities Directors for more than two decades. The Council of Catholic Charities Directors said it also wished to recognize Balinsky for his “life-long commitment to charity and social justice.” Balinsky, a native of Syracuse, has been diocesan director since 1992. At the direction of Bishop Matthew H. Clark, he has vastly expanded the

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cies, and enables us to serve additional youth who struggle with addiction and mental health issues.” Catholic Charities was very involved in the renovation and wanted to create an environment that was warm, inviting, and home-like. The facility has a lot of windows to take advantage of natural light, comfortable outdoor space, and plenty of indoor group room and individualized space. The residential wing offers homey living space, large bedrooms, and private comfort space. Catholic Charities in Joliet Begins Mobile Food Pantry Program Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet has formed a partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank to help hungry families in areas where people in need of food assistance may have to travel many miles to access a food pantry. Mobile Pantry trucks that have nine bays, six of which are refrigerated, and can hold up to 9,000 pounds of food. Every distribution includes frozen meat, fresh produce, bread, and nutritious non-perishable items, as well as cleaning items when available. At each visit, volunteers unload food from the bays and organize them on tables around the truck. Clients from the community sign in and walk around the truck to select food that best meets their family’s nutritional needs. Each Mobile Pantry distribution visit lasts two hours and can provide nutritious food to as many as 300 families.

Sr. Marjorie Hebert Appointed New President & CEO of New Orleans Agency

She is also responsible for the developing the idea and establishing Our Lady of Wisdom Health Care Center, which she led from its opening in 1997 through 2008. St. Patrick Center Clients Enjoy Apartments in Renovated Factory Clients of St. Patrick Center in St. Louis are now enjoying their new homes in a new affordable housing development—St. Louis Stamping Lofts—which opened in St. Louis in April. Missouri Treasurer Clint Zweifel and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay joined partners North River Development, Pinnacle Entertainment, and the St. Louis Equity Fund for a Grand Opening and tours of St. Louis Stamping Lofts, a $9.8 million project financed by tax credits and consisting of 56 new affordable studio apartment units for veterans, homeless, ex-offenders, and others with special needs. All building residents are St. Patrick clients and receive on-site case management and employment services. St. Louis Stamping Lofts transformed the four-story St. Louis Stamping Company building, which was built in 1870 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The project was made possible by federal and state Historic and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits issued by the Missouri Housing Development Commission. St. Louis Stamping Lofts is part of a larger planned development called FarmWorks. When completed, FarmWorks will include a green busi-

Archbishop of New Orleans Gregory Aymond recently appointed Marianite Sister Marjorie Hebert as president and CEO of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. Sr. Marjorie has held the position on an interim basis since January of this year. “Serving in this position will give me the opportunity to work with and assist God’s people, and I look forward to that opportunity,” said Sr. Marjorie. “While very challenging, I know I will find great fulfillment in answering the Lord’s call to me.” Sr. Marjorie is a native of New Orleans, having attended Holy Name of Mary School and Our Lady of Holy Cross College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in education. She received a master’s in education from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX, and holds an honorary doctorate from Our Lady of Holy Cross College. Sr. Marjorie joined Catholic Charities after serving three years as vice president for finances and operations and associate to the president for ministry at Our Lady of Holy Cross College.

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ness incubator and urban farm. The incubator will focus on distribution and processing of locally grown foods. The indoor/outdoor farm will feature aquaponics, hydroponics, vermiculture and vertical growing systems. St. Patrick Center and Gateway Greening will partner on an innovative training and job placement program to help residents grow and market food. Gratitude Leads to Conveniently Located ESL Classes for Tennessee Refugees

Collado noticed several residents walking away from the complex and found that they were walking over a mile away and through an unsafe intersection to get to their ESL classes. This sight started wheels turning in Collado’s head, for he had benefited from ESL classes early in his life. He struggled as a Spanish-speaking student in an English-speaking school after his family moved from Puerto Rico to New York City. His ESL instructor, a sweet and patient woman, helped him learn and it meant a lot to him. Wanting to help the refugee residents at Whispering Hills, Collado proposed to the management and the complex’s owners that they use some unused space for an ESL classroom. “Maybe [the idea] was from God,” Collado said. “In a heartbeat, everyone said ‘Yes!’” It took several months to get the space ready, but in midMarch, Catholic Charities conducted its first ESL session at Whispering Hills. The space is now in use three to four times a week, for three to four hours. “I am very surprised it has happened,” he added. “It brings a smile to my face.” “The convenience of this location is great,” said Polk. “Learning English is a critical factor for refugees as they work to become self-sufficient in the United States.” Albany’s Community Maternity Services Receives Federal Grants Community Maternity Services (CMS), an agency of Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese, was awarded a major federal grant in late 2012, $200,000 each year for five

years to provide transitional housing and support services to pregnant and parenting youth ages 16-22 years and their children. With the funding, the agency opened the Joyce Center to new clients in February 2013. Clients living at the center receive not only safe housing but also a spectrum of services to help them gain life skills, education, and access to medical care. The goal is to prepare them to become self sufficient and live independently with their children in the community. CMS recently received notice of a second major grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand their programming and add community-based supported apartments and services. The grant amount, $180,000 each year for five years, will allow the agency to open three to five supported apartments for the same vulnerable population and may serve as “step-down” housing for Joyce Center residents or for new applicants. This new programming is especially valuable not only because it is consistent with the agency’s mission and brings substantial federal resources, but also because the funding will allow the agency to offer a housing option in surrounding Capital District Counties. Columbus Agency Says Farewell to Don Wisler and Welcomes Rachel Lustig After 10 years at the helm of Catholic Social Services (CSS) in Columbus, OH, Don Wisler recently retired, capping off a career of 39 years in Catholic social and family services. During his years at CSS, Don navigated the agency through a number of challenges and initiated several
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Refugees living in the Whispering Hills Apartments in Antioch, TN, now have an opportunity to work on their English language skills without having to drive—or walk—too far to another ESL resource. Thanks to site manager Reuben Collado and his associates, space at the 158-unit complex has been repurposed as an ESL room for residents. Catholic Charities of Tennessee provides the ESL teaching resources through its Refugee Services department. “We try to have classes as close as possible to where refugees live,” explained Karlene Polk, refugee English coordinator for Catholic Charities of Tennessee. “Most do not have transportation and must walk to class. Having space available in an apartment complex is the best possible option for a program like this,” Polk continued.

new programs to adapt to the changing needs of the community. He described his time at CSS as extremely satisfying and rewarding. “I am proud of all our programs. I am amazed at the good things CSS does and the profound impact that staff have on the lives of those we are privileged to serve,” said Don. “We don’t make a big splash, but the impact staff have on the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities is incredible.” Asked to cite his biggest accomplishment, Don said, “I am delighted to hear staff say that I have inculcated our Catholic identity into the agency and helped staff understand our faith roots.” He said he is leaving the agency with a real sense of its mission. Though he is retiring, Don doesn’t plan to retire quietly. He will be ending his 39-year career in a big way by riding his bicycle across the United States, pedaling 3,667 miles to raise money to support the programs and services of CSS. Anyone that knows Don would expect nothing less. While Don rides cross-country, CSS will be welcoming Rachel Lustig as its new executive director. For the last ten years, Rachel has been working at Catholic Charities USA, most recently as senior vice president of mission and ministry. West Tennessee Re-Launches Its Summer Camp for At-Risk Children Catholic Charities of West Tennessee (CCWTN) recently re-launched its Camp Love & Learn, an eight-week

summer program for at-risk children at the Catholic Church of the Resurrection in Southeast Memphis. A longtime summer fixture held on the midtown Memphis Catholic Charities campus, the camp moved to this new location, thanks to the generosity of the pastor and people of Resurrection Parish. Virginia Davenport, camp director, is excited about this year’s camp. “We are thrilled to be able to offer our campers and their families the wonderful facilities of this parish for our summer camp. During these next eight weeks, we’ll focus our efforts on 70 boys and girls, ages 5 to 10, with a curriculum that is one part academic enrichment—especially in the areas of math and language arts, one part nutrition, and one part fun!” Campers come from fourteen different schools and ten different zip codes across the city. Seventy-five percent of the children attending the camp live in zip codes where the average household income is below the Memphis city average. This year Catholic Charities of West Tennessee is introducing three new components to the camp. First, through a partnership with Catholic Charities USA and the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities, the camp will be able to better track outcomes, results, and the impact on the children’s lives. Second, a member of CCWTN’s Immigration Services Program will be onsite at the camp one day per week to work with families of campers who

may have need for immigration related counseling services. Finally, the CCWTN mobile food pantry will provide campers and their family’s with weekend food packs to bring home on select Fridays throughout the camp. Catholic Charities in Chicago Dedicates New Affordable Senior Residence

Archbishop of Chicago Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., and Rev. Monsignor Michael M. Boland, president of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, dedicated a new apartment building on May 31, adding 42 units of affordable housing for seniors on Chicago’s South Side. Catholic Charities’ All Saints Residence provides safe, attractive housing with 24-hour security and on-site management for eligible seniors with low income. Residents enjoy large, airy, one-bedroom units and various common spaces, including computer and community rooms, and a patio with a pergola to enjoy the outdoors. Building staff members organize activities and outings for residents, and connect them with social services as needed.

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Altoona-Johnstown Agency Honors Community Members at Annual Dinner

Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown; Grace Walk, a fourth grade student who has used her vacation to help set up a mission store to serve the poor in rural South Carolina; and Mikayla Yancik, a ninth grader who collects gift cards and money to help needy families at Christmas. Catholic Charities of Central Colorado Celebrates Accreditation and New Office Catholic Charities of Central Colorado recently received word that it was granted reaccreditation from the Council on Accreditation. Further, the agency’s application was expedited “as a result of not receiving any out of compliance ratings in any of the fundamental practice standards…an amazing achievement.” The good news about reaccreditation came not long after the Central Colorado agency opened a new office in Castle Rock. The new office is located in St. Francis of Assisi parish in Castle Rock and will provide ESL services, parish social ministry, and community outreach services in Douglas, Park, and Elbert Counties. Catholic Charities Spokane Uses New “Care Cruiser” to Engage Students

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown held its annual recognition dinner in June, honoring three individuals with its Monsignor William M. Griffin Award, named in honor of the first executive director of Catholic Charities, and five individuals with the Matthew 25 Youth Humanitarian Award. The recipients of the 2013 Monsignor William M. Griffin Award are Anthony “Sonny” Consiglio, executive director of the local Saint Vincent DePaul Society; Dolores Fatula, a volunteer with the Gabriel Project; and Geraldine Pontzer, a Catholic Charities Advisory Board member and a volunteer with the nursing program at Saint Michael Parish in Hollidaysburg, PA. The recipients of the 2013 Matthew 25 Youth Humanitarian Award are Kiera Chirdon, a sixth grader who helps collect items to donate to an orphanage in Bosnia; Emily McCafferty, a 12th grade student who coordinated a “Pink Out Night” to assist a breast cancer patient; Nicholas Spinelli, a tenth grade student who educates other teens about relevant issues as co-host of “Teen Talk,” which airs on the Proclaim! TV Ministry of the

new opportunity to engage youth in the agency’s mission. In 2010, Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA, bought a new mobile mammography coach, and donated its old one to Catholic Charities Spokane, a donation valued at close to $1 million. The mammography equipment, lead lined walls, and other medical pieces were stripped away, and the coach was completely remodeled, re-painted, and designed to become the Catholic Charities Care Cruiser. The Care Cruiser will be used primarily as a mobile homeless warming center and will be driven by volunteers and parked in various spots around downtown Spokane during cold weather spells as a place for the homeless to come in, get a cup of coffee and a blanket, sit, warm up, and learn about the many services of Catholic Charities, especially the House of Charity, which provides shelter, food, medical care, and a variety of services to the homeless. Catholic Charities Spokane has also used the Care Cruiser as an education and awareness building tool for Catholic school students. Over the past year, the Care Cruiser has visited Catholic schools in the area, inviting students aboard the cruiser to participate in grade appropriate educational and interactive sessions about Catholic Charities programs, Catholic social teaching, social justice and service learning, and other topics relating to poverty in the community and around the world. n

Catholic Charities Spokane has turned a valuable donation into a new service for the homeless and a

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Providing Help.

Creating Hope.
to his children, Kevin reunited with his family. After finishing the parenting education groups, he saw how the groups were a great fathering education tool and stress reliever. “Prior to participating I didn’t know of any groups that helped men,” said Kevin. “I learned so much about co-parenting and bonding styles that I’m more mature in working out my current barriers with my babies’ mother.” In order to ensure that fathers such as Kevin can continue to access a path to responsible fatherhood, Catholic Charities continues to offer a comprehensive array of services designed to help fathers increase their awareness of the important role they play in their children’s overall wellbeing. This is one more way of providing help and offering hope. n

K

evin, the father of two children, lacked hope and guidance. He was estranged from his family and unemployed, and not understanding child support laws, was afraid of being incarcerated. The child support enforcement agency was requiring him to make weekly payments on behalf of his children, but he had been unemployed for over a year. Though he had applied for jobs multiple times, he was informed by several human resource departments that he was not a strong candidate for employment due to the misdemeanor on his record.

Desperate to change things in his life, Kevin enrolled in the Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood program of Catholic Charities in Hartford, CT. This dynamic program, offered at five of the agency’s neighborhood-based family centers, is based on the beliefs that: 1) a parent is a child’s first and most influential nurturer, teacher, and advocate; 2) strong supportive families are the key to healthy and successful young children; and 3) families need access to information and supportive services where they live. The Pathways program has served over 1,200 participants since its inception in 2011, with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Kevin successfully completed the parenting education group, participated in weekly peer groups, and received case management services. Through a referral from the program, he obtained his OSHA safety training enabling him to work in industrial or construction jobs. With his improved communication skills, OSHA training, and increased commitment

“I learned so much about coparenting and bonding styles that I’m more mature in working out my current barriers with my babies’ mother.”

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Calendar
2013 Trainings & Events Date
September 14-16 October 4-5 October 14-18 October 18-19 October 22-23 October 27-30 November 1-2 November 4-5 December 12-13

Meeting
Annual Gathering Parish Social Ministry Regional Training Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence Parish Social Ministry Regional Training Partners in Excellence From Mission to Service—Part II Parish Social Ministry Regional Training Partners in Excellence Partners in Excellence

Location
San Francisco, CA New Orleans, LA Houston, TX Memphis, TN New Orleans, LA South Bend, IN Coeur d’Alene, ID Coeur d’Alene, ID Albuquerque, NM

Contact
Amy Stinger (703) 236-6227 Tina Baldera (703) 236-6233 Fani Cruz (703) 236-6225 Tina Baldera (703) 236-6233 Jean Beil (703) 236-6229 Troy Zeigler (703) 236-6239 Tina Baldera (703) 236-6233 Jean Beil (703) 236-6229 Jean Beil (703) 236-6229

THE MAGAZINE OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA

High Quality, Not High Cost!
Did you know that Charities USA is...
• Designed in-house by CCUSA’s Creative Services Team? • Printed on an economical paper stock? • Sized and organized to get maximum use of the press sheet paper we purchase? • Printed by a press that is wind powered, uses recycled paper, and soy based inks? Don’t be fooled by the quality look of Charities USA. We are committed to using our funds in the most cost-efficient way possible so that we can forward our work to reduce poverty in America.

SW130511 CatholicCharitiesBack ad_SW_942.04 BW_SocialJust Flyer 3/29/11 9:50 AM Page 1

Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA (617) 552-4020 www.bc.edu/socialwork DePaul University
Chicago, IL (773) 325-4141 http://las.depaul.edu/msw

Dominican University River Forest, IL (708) 366-3463 www.socialwork.dom.edu

Put your ideals into practice.
Pass along the social teachings of the church with a professional degree from a Catholic School of Social Work.

Fordham University New York, NY (212) 636-6600 www.fordham.edu/gss Loyola University of Chicago Chicago, IL (312) 915-7005 www.luc.edu/socialwork Marywood University Scranton, PA (570) 348-6282 www.marywood.edu/ssw Newman University Wichita, KS (316) 942-4291 ext. 2216 www.newmanu.edu/msw.aspx Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio, TX (210) 431-3969 www.ollusa.edu/wordenschool St. Ambrose University Davenport, IA (563) 333-3910 www.sau.edu/msw St. Catherine University/ University of St. Thomas St. Paul, MN (651) 962-5810 www.stthomas.edu/socialwork Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO (314) 977-2752 http://socialwork.slu.edu Spalding University Louisville, KY (502) 588-7183 www.spalding.edu
2050 Ballenger Avenue Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314
SW1305_11

The Catholic University of America Washington, DC (202) 319-5496 http://ncsss.cua.edu University of St. Francis Joliet, IL (815) 740-5072 www.stfrancis.edu/academics/social-work

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Washington, DC Permit #3070

Barry University Miami, FL (305) 899-3900 www.barry.edu/socialwork

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