We Journey Together Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago ANNUAL REPORT 2013 We Journey Together We at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago have much to celebrate this year, including the welcoming of Pope Francis as the new leader of the Catholic Church. A man with a special devotion to the poor, his vision has energized us all and reminded us that we have the humble honor of journeying with our neighbors as we help to strengthen and support our community. It’s a Journey of Listening, a Journey of Caring, and a Journey of Guiding... and one that we do together. “ Christ “ At Catholic Charities, we live our leads us to values as we journey with our clients.” go out from monsignor michael m. boland ourselves more and more, to give ourselves and to serve others.” pope francis A MESSAGE FROM THE CARDINAL October 29, 2013 Dear Brothers and Sisters, Meeting the challenge of serving God’s people in need is the mission of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Called and sent by the Church to care for the poor by feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, comforting the brokenhearted, and restoring hope to the hopeless, Catholic Charities fulfills the command of Christ for each of us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Last year, one million people of all races, faiths and economic backgrounds—one out of every three citizens of the City of Chicago—were helped through the broad range of services offered by Catholic Charities. “We Journey Together” is an appropriate theme for the 2013 Annual Report of Catholic Charities because it emphasizes the mission of Catholic Charities. Truly caring for and helping the poor is not simply providing the basic necessities of life—food, clothing, and shelter—though these are extremely important. FRANCIS CARDINAL GEORGE, O.M.I. Catholic Charities also provides a vast array of professional services to help Archbishop of Chicago people work through their struggles so that they may begin to rebuild their lives. Most importantly, Catholic Charities delivers its services with Christ’s love and compassion so that each person on a journey of healing is treated with the utmost respect and dignity. As His Holiness Pope Francis has reminded us, each of us is called to use our God-given talents to care for those in need, just as Jesus “awakened great hopes in the hearts of the simple, the humble, the forgotten, those who do not matter in the eyes of the world.” We as Christians and Catholics are blessed to have the opportunity to bring Jesus’ light of hope to others, as Catholic Charities does so well every day of the year. The good works of Catholic Charities would not be possible without the dedicated support of the members of the Catholic Charities Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, the Junior Board, the parishes of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the thousands of volunteers, donors, and benefactors of Catholic Charities. I am deeply grateful for your continued commitment to Catholic Charities and its clients. I am also greatly appreciative of the vital support of our business and government funding partners. In addition, I commend Monsignor Michael Boland and his staff for their passion and dedication to the most vulnerable among us. If you have never been to one of the service locations of Catholic Charities, I urge you to consider taking a tour. It will warm your heart to see the journey of listening, caring, and guiding in action. May the charity of Christ continue to inspire and impel us to greater love and service of God and our neighbors. You and those you love are in my prayers; please keep me and the needs of the Archdiocese of Chicago in yours. Sincerely yours in Christ, 4 A MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR October 29, 2013 Dear Friends of Catholic Charities, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is profoundly blessed to journey with 1 million people each year throughout Cook and Lake counties. It is our mission to walk with those who are suffering—listening to their struggles, caring about their well-being, and guiding them to peace—just as Jesus did. On the following pages of our 2013 Annual Report, you will see beautiful images and read inspiring stories of Catholic Charities listening, guiding, and caring for the elderly, children, families, veterans, the homeless, the hungry, and those with nowhere else to turn. When people come to Catholic Charities, they know that we are with them for the long haul; we join them side-by-side on their journey to wholeness and health. With our professionally trained staff and specialized services, we not only provide a helping hand, but also a “hand up,” ensuring that those who come to us can begin to improve their lives and have hope for a better future. REV. MONSIGNOR MICHAEL M. BOLAND Since the start of his Pontificate in March 2013, His Holiness Pope Francis has Administrator, President and CEO shone a new light of hope on those most in need and asked each one of us as Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago faithful Christians to examine our hearts and refocus our own priorities. He has called for “a poor Church for the poor,” and urged every Catholic, young and old, to get involved in helping our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. In his poignant homily at his installation Mass on March 19, the feast day of St. Joseph, the “protector” of Jesus and Mary, he asked us to “protect with tenderness.” “The vocation of being a ‘protector’…means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about.…It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it.” Through more than 150 programs at more than 160 service locations, Catholic Charities is indeed the protector of the poor and vulnerable in the Archdiocese of Chicago. With the help of our generous donors, dedicated volunteers, outstanding board members, and excellent staff, we build genuine friendships with those who seek our services, partnering with them to overcome life’s challenges, share their joys and sorrows, and marvel in Christ’s presence in our lives. I would like to thank each of our donors, board members, staff, and volunteers who accompany Catholic Charities on the journey of so many lives that have been bruised or broken. Sometimes it is in helping others on their journey that our own paths become clearer. May Christ’s love and compassion for the least among us continue to inspire us as we walk with the poor and those who are suffering, lifting them up with the joy that Christ’s light brings. Sincerely, 5 We Journey Together August 2012: Health Fair at St. Gall Parish September 2012: Babette Peyton outfitted by Mary’s Closet October 2012: Mobile Outreach SEPTEMBER 2012 • On September 14, a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives held the hearing, “Housing for Heroes: Examining How Federal Programs Can JULY Better Serve Veterans.” Presenters from many veterans’ advocacy groups • Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago joined a lawsuit in federal discussed barriers that homeless and low-income veterans face in securing court, seeking to overturn the mandate issued by the U.S. Department services. Eileen Higgins, our Vice President of Housing Services, was one of of Health and Human Services (HHS). “The sole matter at hand is that the presenters, along with two of our veterans: Caesar Hill, a Navy veteran religious freedom has been compromised by the mandate in violation of the and Community Affairs Manager in Community Development and Outreach First Amendment of our nation’s Constitution,” said Monsignor Boland. Services; and Babette Peyton, an Army veteran and resident at our St. Leo’s • We began providing outreach to senior citizens through our new Hospital campus. Mr. Hill and Ms. Peyton were outfitted for their testimony by our Transition Program (HTP) in the South Suburbs, with the goal of preventing Mary’s Closet program. costly readmissions to local hospitals. HTP is an “Innovations” program funded by Medicare and Medicaid Services, and helps us in our work to keep OCTOBER seniors living in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. • Catholic Charities began providing Mobile Outreach services across the City • The Forever Free Program celebrated 20 years of helping homeless women of Chicago, 24/7, responding to referral calls from the City’s 311 Call Center recovering from substance abuse reunite with their children, and achieve involving homelessness, lack of food, loss of utilities and other urgent educational and occupational success. situations. Nearly 50 new staff were hired and trained in a short period of • The Irish Children’s Fund (ICF) donated $180,700 to Catholic Charities to time to launch the new program. Catholic Charities was the first private provide steady support of its Child Development Centers from July 1, 2012 social service agency awarded the Mobile Outreach contract. Previously, the through June 30, 2015. For nearly 30 years, the Irish Children’s Fund brought program had been operated by the City. together Catholic and Protestant children from Northern Ireland for a one- • An exciting new venue served as the location for our annual Ayudando month visit each summer in the Chicago area. Nuestras Familias fundraiser - the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago’s Pilsen community. In FY 2013, Catholic Charities supported more AUGUST than a quarter million Latinos in the metro Chicago area.