Providing Help • Creating Hope
We fight poverty and its consequences in our local communities through crisis intervention services and by strengthening families resulting in new opportunities and changed futures.
Greetings from the CEO
Catholic Charities is one of the largest non-profit organizations in the Inland Counties that is doggedly focused on making an impact on local poverty – one person, one family at a time. Our primary programs with numerous distinct services is our direct response to improving the lives of poor families experiencing a dark time in their lives and desperately
in need of our attention and care.
The sheer number of low-resourced families among us is staggering. Yet for over 40 years, Catholic Charities continues to provide relief to those that need it most by lifting them out of crisis, so they can move forward with their lives. Compassion is at the core of everything we do at Catholic Charities.
This Report to the Community offers you a quick look at the work of Catholic Charities. It also includes some paths for you to join us in our compassionate care for families with nowhere else to turn for help. Together, we are additionally empowered to act on our motto of “Providing Help, Creating Hope” where it is needed most in our local communities.
-Ken F. Sawa, MSW, LCSW, CEO/Executive Vice President
What We Do
“Catholic Charities provides compassionate social services that respond to the suffering of the vulnerable and those in crisis in our local communities.”
A. Crisis Intervention Services
We provide a broad array of critically necessary social services for poor families experiencing a short-term crisis.
With great difficulty, most low-income families are somehow able to maintain a precariously fragile level of stability – until an unexpected crisis occurs from which they cannot recover alone. Often with nowhere else to turn, they come to us in desperate need of help. Our goal is to address the unexpected crisis, so it is possible for them to move forward with their lives.
B. Individual & Family Strengthening
We offer educational opportunities and specific services to enhance well-being and create paths for significant life changes.
We accomplish this through multiple avenues including adult, youth, and family counseling services, life skills & nutrition classes, programs for youth, immigration and citizenship services, preschool services, community gardens, and a range of informational workshops and family activities.
C. Neighborhood Outreach Programs
We expand our reach to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable in our local communities.
Heavily dependent on volunteer support, these programs include: “Neighbor2Neighbor” weekend hospitality breakfast for the homeless, mobile showers, “Stop The Hunger” weekday lunches at parks and motels, “Love Thy Neighbor” food, clothing, personal hygiene items, and other neighborhood distributions and community holiday events.
Primary Programs
Lifting struggling individuals and families out of a temporary crisis toward new opportunities and changed futures by providing a broad range of social services. (24,219 Individuals Benefited)
A. Family and Community Services
Our casework staff are not only providing basic needs assistance for a family in crisis but are increasing household stability by maintaining them in their homes, keeping utilities on, and food on the table. Homeless prevention is the first step to move beyond a crisis toward a better future.
B. Counseling Services
Our clinical therapists are creating new opportunities for much healthier relationships in a family and better emotional/behavioral choices that can change the course of one’s life. On preschool campuses, guiding the proper development of young children and providing support and education to their parents creates a path for generational change.
C. Immigration Services
Our immigration specialists are not just facilitating personal legal immigration status changes, but by doing so are creating new opportunities that will result in a new future for a family. U.S. Citizenship instills the hope and confidence needed to fully engage in all aspects of American life and undoubtedly a changed future throughout the family and into the future.
Other Neighborhood Outreach Activities
(26,752 Additional Community Contacts)
Reaching out with great compassion to the poor and homeless in specific neighborhoods by offering meals, essential cold weather clothing, and hygenic care items to alleviate their suffering by engaging volunteers and sharing donated goods received from the community.
Statistics Snapshot
Homeless Prevention Services: Rental and mortgage assistance to prevent evictions, homelessness, and provide temporary shelter for newly homeless families. 2,914 Individuals Benefited.
Food Assistance: Providing fresh, nutritious groceries at weekly food distribution programs, in-office food pantries, and use of grocery store vouchers. 20,107 Individuals Benefited
Utilitiy Assistance: Preventing interruption of utility services (electricity, gas, and water) to avoid shut offs and re-connection fees.3,971 Individuals Benefited
Teletharapy Support: Improving the emotional-behavioral health of seniors, adults, and children during a time of crisis in their lives. 2,639 Clinical Hours of Service
Legal Case Consultation: Providing screenings, consultations, and recommendations for those eligible for legal immigration status adjustments including citizenship. 856 Individuals Benefited
Burial Assistance: Assisting low-resourced families with a portion of the costs for a very simple burial for loved one. 272 Individuals Benefited
Planting Seeds
We are committed to expand the spirit and mission of Catholic Charities and inspire others to continue with the work of social services into the future.
MSW GRADUATE SCHOOL INTERNS are selected for field placement at Catholic Charities for an academic year of training and supervision by Catholic Charities’ staff as part of their professional development.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS are funded by Catholic Charities to support students that are often first generation college students or older re-entry students and are receiving an education in a human service field.
CALIFORNIA CORPS COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS are assigned to Catholic Charities as volunteers paid by the State of California to off-set their educational expenses and gain experience in a non-profit setting
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS find personal satisfaction or faith response in assisting Catholic Charities by “Providing Help, Creating Hope” in the community.
Board of Directors: Most Reverend Alberto Rojas, Dr. Donald Averill, Rev. Manny Cardoza, Candace Heaton, Dr. Tim Jenkins, John Kosta, Gerardo J. Lopez, Javier H. Lopez, Maria Macabales, Jorge Montenegro, Sergio Nuñez, Sr. Patricia A. Phillips, Cynthia Ronquillo-Francisco, Sr. Leticia Salazar, Kelly Schlegel, William Schlegel, Teresa Seipel, Matilde A. Servan, Hon. Marty Swanson, Mary Swanson
For more information or to donate, visit http://ccsbriv.org/.