Catholic Charities USA was founded in 1910 on the campus of the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. As the association of local Catholic Charities affiliates, Catholic Charities USA works to provide advocacy for the poor, and networking for the 1700 agencies across the country that are its members.
In 2007, Catholic Charities member agencies provided hope and assistance to 7.7 Million people. Today that assistance includes support for food banks, soup kitchens, social services, health care, mental health services, help for immigrants, temporary and supervised housing, pregnancy services, adoptions, and addiction treatment.
According to the web site CharityNavigator.org, Catholic Charities USA deserves their highest, four-star rating. More than 83% of their total expenses are spent on program expenses, with administrative and fundraising expenses making up the balance of their $24 Million Dollar budget.
If taken as a single entity, local diocesan offices together with the national office, Catholic Charities would be the second largest social service provider in the United States — only surpassed by the Federal Government.
But more importantly, Catholic Charities is a concrete expression of the Church’s love and compassion for the poor and suffering. To learn more about Catholic Charities USA, or the Church’s social teaching, go to www.catholiccharitiesusa.org,