Voice of Charity

Catholic Charities New Hope Apartments program helps homeless individuals and families transition out of shelters. The program houses clients in scattered site apartments and provides case management and supportive resources as they develop skills and savings to become self-sufficient. Monsignor Michael Boland talks with Margaret Wilson, program director of New Hope Apartments, and Bernadette Muloski, Catholic Charities case worker, about the struggles and success stories of the homeless families and individuals they work with.

Every year, thousands of people contact Chicago’s 311 Call Center for help with shelter, food, mental services, and more. Catholic Charities Mobile Outreach program works with the call center to provide immediate services for those in need, in addition to linking them with long-term community help. Monsignor Michael Boland is joined by Renee Rouse, Mobile Outreach Manager, and Luiz Barbosa, Department Director of Central Intake, Family Stability to talk about Catholic Charities Mobile Outreach program.

During difficult times, many Chicago families turn to the Chicago Housing Authority as they strive for self-sufficiency. Catholic Charities works with families living in Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) buildings on Chicago’s Northside by providing “wrap-around” services to all members of the family through CHA FamilyWorks. Today, Monsignor Michael Boland is joined by Melissa Lucas, Regional Director of CHA FamilyWorks, and Gina Kleggs, Associate Vice President of Community Development and Outreach Services to talk about CHA FamilyWorks.

Guests: Derbert Plaza, Education Coordinator of Early Head Start and Diane Rodriguez, Child Care Program Director The first five years of a child’s early life are incredibly important. The brain is developing and early experiences shape the architecture of the child’s brain. Catholic Charities Child Development Centers provide high quality early childhood education and care for children from 2 to 5 years and child care for children in Kindergarten through age 12. Last year, more than 1,200 children attended Catholic Charities Child Development sites. Monsignor Michael Boland is joined by­­ Derbert Plaza and Diane Rodriguez to tell us more.

Guest: Alexis Waxman, Case Manager As we age, it can be more difficult to maintain the same level of independence. It becomes harder to care for yourself, others, and your surroundings. Catholic Charities Vulnerable Adults Reporting case managers advocate for seniors who suffer from self-neglect and are often isolate from friends, family, and important community resources. Without VAR, hundreds of seniors and adults with disabilities with be without service and fall through the cracks. Monsignor Michael Boland is joined by ­­Alexis Waxman, a case manager with VAR.

Violence does not only affect those involved; it affects families. Children and youth especially have a difficult time dealing with the trauma of violence in their lives, and it can affect them socially, mentally, and emotionally. Catholic Charities provides individual and family therapy located in Chicago neighborhoods with high crime rates. Monsignor Michael Boland is joined by Hector Rivera, Supervising Therapist and Margaret Monahan, Department Director to discuss Youth Violence Trauma.

For years, Catholic Charities has provided specialized mental health counseling services including In-Home Behavioral Health and Addiction Counseling Education Services (ACES). ACES helps outpatient individuals learn to address addiction problems and make decisions in a healthier manner. Recently, we partnered with Mt. Sinai Health to create a more comprehensive solution for those with substance abuse problems. Monsignor Michael Boland is joined by Pat Bogie, ACES program director, to talk about the ACES and Mt. Sinai Partnership.

School is out, which unfortunately means youth violence is up. Having a job offers youth an alternative to danger on the streets, however it can be difficult to teens, especially those from at-risk areas, to find employment. Catholic Charities Summer Youth Employment programs help young adults learn workplace skills, earn money, and broaden their network and perspective of the world. Gina Cleggs, Associate Vice President of Community Development and Outreach, joins Monsignor Boland to discuss Catholic Charities Youth Employment programs.

9 million children report that they are growing up without adults to turn to. These children do not have people to guide or support them, which can harm children socially, mentally, and emotionally. Catholic Charities mentoring program helps at-risk youth connect with a positive role model who encourages good decision making and serves as a friend in times of need. Beth Sheehan-Lucas, Program Coordinator, joins Monsignor Boland to discuss Catholic Charities Mentoring Program.

Summer brings higher violence rates. This year alone, Chicago has seen almost 2,000 people hurt by gun violence. Catholic Charities is one of many organizations with programs that work to address violence in at-risk communities and end the cycle of poverty. Today Fr. Tom Boharic, speaker at the Social Action Summer Institute Conference, joins Monsignor Boland to discuss the upcoming Anti-Violence conference and anti-violence measures in Chicago.

In Illinois, one in seven people struggles with hunger. Summer brings more food insecurity to families, as children do not have access to free and discounted school breakfasts and lunches. In these situations, families are often forced to go hungry or purchase the cheapest food available, even if it’s not healthy. Catholic Charities Summer Food programs work to eradicate this problem by providing free breakfast and lunch to low-income children across Chicagoland. Today Guadalupe Villanueva, Community Outreach Manager, and Diane Nunley, Associate Vice President of Community Development and Outreach Services, join Monsignor Boland to discuss Catholic Charities summer food initiatives.

1 in 3 children grow up without the presence of a father. Fathers play a vital role in the life of a child; they teach life lessons, improve socio-emotional health, and increase academic functioning. Without a father figure, children may face many risks. Catholic Charities programs encourage parental involvement on a daily basis through parenting education, child development centers, and counseling for families. Today Shavon Parker, RAPP Program Director; Petra Gutierrez, Our Lady of Tepeyac Child Development Center Site Director; and Janice Williams, St. Joseph Child Development Center Site Director; join Monsignor Boland to discuss fatherhood involvement.

Since the Affordable Care Act, more people are purchasing and obtaining health insurance, but there are still a lot of families and individuals without insurance. More than 9% of people in Illinois are uninsured and at risk. Catholic Charities annually hosts several FREE community-based health fairs to provide medical, dental, vision and glaucoma screenings, memory and depressions screenings, as well as immunizations and back to school physicals for children. Kate Mulvaney, Regional Director for City of Chicago and Catholic Charities Director of Health Initiatives and Wanda Moy, a District 201 School medical staff and the Nurse Liason at Catholic Charities health fairs join Monsignor Boland to discuss the upcoming health fairs.

One of the most basic human rights is shelter. For many, shelter is where we feel safe and supported. When people lose their home or have no place to live, it can lead to desperation and hopelessness. Catholic Charities believes every person deserves respect and in the dignity of human life. Catholic Charities Housing Services provides safe, affordable housing to all. We offer transitional and permanent supportive housing, senior residences, a supportive living residence, two residences for persons with disabilities, and one nursing home. Last year, more than 6,500 people found shelter at one of our residents. Catholic Charities operates under the Fair Housing Act, which protects people from discrimination in their serach for housing.

Seniors are special to all of us at Catholic Charities. Our Senior Services area is one of our largest, with more than 20 different programs across Cook and Lake counties. Our programs served more than 300,000 seniors last year, who accounted for 42% of our total clients. One of our programs is our FREE Keenager News newspaper, which is mailed out to more than 90,000 seniors each month. In addition, Catholic Charities hosts an Annual Senior Unity Mass and luncheon to honor our seniors. Today, Rob Boyd, Director of Josephine Argento Senior Center, and Kristine Kappel, Director of Communications, join Monsignor Boland to discuss Keenager News and the upcoming Senior Unity Mass.

Today, 11.6 million seniors live alone, risking isolation. This can lead to negative health impacts and a lower quality of life for seniors. Thankfully, many programs are in place that provide seniors with nutrition and socialization. One of the first steps towards providing seniors with necessary services was The Older Americans Act, or “OAA,” which creates services that assist seniors and their families, including home-delivered meals, chore services, and support for caregivers. Today, Mary Ann Bibat, Vice President of Senior Services, joins Monsignor Boland to discuss the Older Americans Act and senior services at Catholic Charities.

Hunger is one of the biggest problems we face today. Nearly 800,000 people throughout Chicago are food insecure and many of those impacted are children. These children and their families do not know where their next meal will come from. Food insecurity has a role in many problems including poverty, health and wellbeing, and poor nutrition. Catholic Charities recognizes the importance of quality nutrition and works to provide healthy meals to families in need. One program that meets the needs of the hungry is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). WIC provides WIC-approved foods for eligible participants, access to social services, nutrition education, job training and educational programs. Today Monsignor Boland is joined by Angel Gutierrez, VP of Community Development and Outreach, Diane Nunley, Associate VP Supplemental Food and Nutrition, and Tal Vanek, Nutritionist to discuss Catholic Charities nutrition programs for children.

Chicago is often known for being one of the most violent cities in the US. Violence not only affects those involved, but it impacts entire communities. One of the Chicago neighborhoods most troubled by violence is Austin. Catholic Charities has recently partnered with Peace Corner, a drop-in center for youth in Austin, in the fight to promote healthy and safe communities. Peace Corner works with volunteers to help and support the neighborhood citizens. The center has a variety of services, including job training and employment placement, fitness and sports programs, nutrition programs, and more. Today Angel Gutierrez, Vice President of Community Development and Outreach, and Seth El-Jamal, Department Director for Peace Corner join Monsignor Boland to discuss how Catholic Charities works with violence-plagued communities.

April is the month of the Young Child. The annual celebration supports young children, teachers, and families in the pursuit of health, safety and education. Catholic Charities recognizes the responsibility that society and the Church has to protect children. We provide services that enhance children’s education, health, safety, and connections to the community. Through our child development centers, 1,4000 children and their families learn and grow in safe, nurturing centers and are prepared for success in elementary school. In 2015, 97% of zero to 3 year olds in Catholic Charities educational programs met or exceeded their expected milestones for language, cognitive, physical and social-emotional development. As Pope Francis describes children as, “the joy of the family and of society…Children are a gift.”

The birth of a child is a beautiful thing, but very young parents may find themselves unprepared to bring a new addition into the world. There are many risk factors associated with teen pregnancy. Poverty is one major risk, since teens are usually not working jobs that can support a family. Also educational achievement is at risk if a teen drops out of school as a result of the pregnancy and demands of parenting. Finally, a young parent may find themselves rejected by their own parents as a consequence of their pregnancy, and therefore must face this challenging time alone and possibly homeless. For all these reasons and more, it is important that young parents have access to help in having a healthy delivery and ongoing care of their baby. Catholic Charities Child, Youth, and Family Services work with young parents to help them provide for their children, and themselves. Last year alone, more than 600 teen parents benefited from our supportive classes, counseling, home visits, and more. Today Velma Brown-Walker, Director of Adolescent Parenting Programs, joins Monsignor Boland to discuss Catholic Charities services for young parents and their children.

The Catholic Charities LOSS Program (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) began in 1978 when three couples came to Catholic Charities seeking a safe space to grieve the deaths of their children to suicide. At that time, suicide was poorly understood within the mental health community, and even less so within the Catholic Church, which traditionally viewed suicide as a grave sin. Nearly 40 years later, LOSS is a program that offers free, non-denominational services to individuals and families who are grieving the loss of a loved one by suicide. The LOSS model is unique, as it combines educational and peer-led support groups with professional counseling. LOSS participants are very loyal to the program, and a big part of the reason for their loyalty is the leadership of Fr. Charles Rubey, who started LOSS nearly 40 years ago. Fr. Rubey will soon celebrate 50 years of priesthood, and he has a long and distinguished career to reflect upon. Today Fr. Rubey joins Monsignor Boland to discuss LOSS and a new resource he has developed for anyone impacted by suicide.

At Catholic Charities we have more than 150 programs at more than 160 locations across Cook and Lake counties. To help cover our very large territory, we have seven regional offices which function as local hubs where community residents can access Catholic Charities services. We invite parishes, schools and other community groups to volunteer and donate their time, talent and treasure to their local office. For example, a parish may have someone who is a member of a Regional Advisory Board and therefore, is very tied in to the regional operations. Or, a parish may run regular food or clothing drives or donate funds for a particular program, like transitional housing. Catholic Charities regional offices also network with other community resources to strengthen the social safety net in their geographic area. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Kathy Donahue, Senior Vice President of Program Development and Evaluation, and Terri Denny, Senior Director Regional and Lake County Services.

Catholic Charities has 10 food pantries located across Cook and Lake counties that address need by supporting one of the most important and basic human rights, the right to eat. During fiscal year 2015, Catholic Charities food pantries served 1.8 million meals to more than 170,000 people. These individuals were able to count on Catholic Charities for hope and security during difficult times. With so many people counting on Catholic Charities, it is important to receive support and funding. Catholic Relief Services or “CRS” helps fund some of our pantries through its annual Rice Bowl campaign. Today Bethany Collins, Program Coordinator from the Office of Peace and Justice; Sharon Tillmon, Director of Emergency Assistance, and Sr. Joellen Tumas, Director of Casa Catalina Emergency Assistance Center join Monsignor Boland to discuss the Rice Bowl Campaign.

Not only does Catholic Charities work with the homeless and hungry, but we also help with other needs like legal assistance. Often times, those living in poverty need a voice. Fighting for justice for the poor is very much a part of our tradition of Catholic Social Teaching. Catholic Charities recognizes the difficulty many people have obtaining legal help. Over ten years ago, Catholic Charities began its Legal Assistance program to help fight this injustice. Catholic Charities Legal Assistance (known as CCLA) provides compassionate and competent legal assistance to the economically disadvantaged of Chicago regardless of religious affiliation. Joining Monsignor today is Hilda Bahena, Director of Catholic Charities Legal Assistance department, to discuss the affordable legal assistance Catholic Charities provides.

You may have seen Catholic Charities in the news responding to the state budget impasse. The situation for human services across Illinois has become dire. The social service safety net of food pantries, in-home help for seniors, adult day care, child care for young children, and other programs for vulnerable groups is unraveling, and lives are at stake. This is not a political issue. It is a moral issue, an issue of life and death. The situation throws a spotlight on our Catholic belief that we are called to provide merciful care to human beings in need. Today Monsignor Boland talks about how the budget impasse is affecting Catholic Charities and other social service provides, and he urges listeners to contact their elected officials with the simple message: “I am a voter in your district. Please overcome the budget impasse now. Pass a budget that will keep our state’s safety net intact.” To find out who your elected officials are, call the State Board of Elections at (217) 782-4141, and select option “zero” when prompted. You can also visit www.elections.il.gov and click on “New District/Official Search.”

Catholic Charities is heading toward a big birthday—we turn 100 next year! One of our earliest services was providing “relief” to families where the wage earner was either out of work or absent. Today, our Emergency Assistance centers have food pantries and clothing rooms, as well as highly-trained staff who talk with clients to sensitively discern the challenges and strengths in their situation, and come up with a plan that may include payment for utility bills, rent or security deposit, or a thorough screening to see if the client qualifies for government assistance programs. Sharon Tillmon, Director of Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance Department, joins Monsignor Boland.

Poverty is a complex and persistent problem in our nation and communities. In 2014 the US Census reported that 15.5 percent of Americans lived in poverty. In Cook County, Illinois, the figure is higher, at 17 percent. Lately the burden on the poor and those who serve them has become heavier, as our state has failed to pass a budget that would fund programs designed to help the poor. Family poverty is associated with a number of adverse conditions that can result in homelessness, hunger, and food insecurity. Children in low-income families are more likely to experience multiple family transitions, move frequently, and change schools. The stress of living in poverty and struggling to meet daily needs can also impair parenting. Catholic Charities Lake County Family Self-Sufficiency Program aids struggling single-parent families through comprehensive case management, housing and employment services for up to five years, so that they can achieve self-sufficiency and break the cycle of poverty. Monsignor Boland is joined by Ashley Styx, Supervisor of our Family Self-Sufficiency Program in Lake County.

Maternity and Adoption Services is a long-standing program at Catholic Charities. From our very beginnings in 1917, we have welcomed women in crisis pregnancies and orphaned children to our doors as part of our mission of charity with its respect for human life. For nearly 100 years Catholic Charities has known that good care equals good outcomes for mothers and children. We continue to operate programs that support this goal. We have also expanded our adoption services to include international adoption education, home study and post-adoption support services for families using “partner-placing” agencies such as Children's Home Society and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, and our own direct placement programs with Mexico and Poland. We are also getting more and more inquiries about our Adoption Registry, which is a service that helps adoptees, birth parents and family members reconnect with each other. Joining Monsignor today are Norene Chesebro, Director of our Maternity and Adoption Services, and Lisa Francis, Post-Adoption Worker.

During his visit to the U.S., Pope Francis referred to Catholic Charities programs as “field hospitals;” not in a medical sense, but as places where people’s needs are met with immediacy and mercy. As we enter a Holy Year, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy declared by Pope Francis, Catholic Charities stands ready to provide person to person encounters of mercy in a wide variety of settings and with a wide variety of “recruits” to our cause. Many of us remember learning about the “Works of Mercy” as children. Reciting the list of Corporal Works that meet the needs of the physical body such as food, shelter, clothing, as well as the Spiritual Works which address emotions, understanding and forgiveness is just the beginning. “Works” implies action, and “Mercy” is the loving attitude that makes such action something that transforms both giver and recipient. Today Monsignor Boland describes many different ways Catholic Charities provides merciful service throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago.

With the glow of the Christmas season fading, we are heading into deep winter, with short days and little sunlight. In January in Chicago, we typically have 13 or fewer days with significant sun. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or feelings of sadness and depression that happen during the winter months. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, up to 20%, or 1 in 5 people, in the U.S. struggle with SAD or its milder form of “winter blues.” But there are steps we can take to combat this seasonal issue. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Rev. Richard Jakubik, and Cynthia Waderlow, two mental health experts at Catholic Charities.

Another year draws to a close, and Monsignor Boland looks back at the accomplishments of 2015, which include serving more than 1 million people in Cook and Lake counties, expansion into some of Chicago’s neediest neighborhoods, and the addition of critical new programs. Monsignor also shares the stories of clients helped by the agency in the past year.

With Americans living longer than ever, it is increasingly common to see senior citizens caring for their spouse or an adult child caring for an elderly parent. Caregiving is extremely hard work, especially when the caregiver is a senior themselves. Catholic Charities understands that caregiving is heroic work with significant challenges. Our Family Caregiver Program has helped more than 1000 family caregivers so far this year with supportive services such as respite, educational classes, support groups, and one-on-one counseling. Today DeWayne Dunigan, lead family caregiver specialist for Catholic Charities in the South Suburbs and Debra Bohli-Mitchell, Caregiver Specialist in the Northwest suburbs, join Monsignor to discuss Catholic Charities services for caregivers.

For 68 years, Catholic Charities has helped children and families in need to have a merrier Christmas through our annual “Celebration of Giving” gift program. Volunteers are essential to the success of Celebration of Giving and over the years we have had parishes, families, schools and individuals make this annual event a highlight of their charitable work. Many volunteers and donors find out that “in giving they receive” a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for the blessings they enjoy. Organizing this virtual “army” of volunteers is a challenge, but each year our staff finds new ways to recruit, train and organize them. Joining Monsignor Boland to discuss the Celebration of Giving and how people can support it are: Danielle Pues, Administrative Coordinator for Board Relations and Michelle Finnegan, Project Manager for Celebration of Giving.

The HIV/AIDS Pandemic has been here for over 30 years, and while it rarely makes headlines, it is still devastating the lives of individuals, families, communities, and even countries. Sometimes people are surprised to know that Catholic Charities was an “early responder” to the AIDS epidemic, with our involvement going back decades. We recognized early on that a compassionate and caring response was needed for anyone impacted by HIV/AIDS, and that this response was in keeping with Catholic Social Teaching and the Gospel message to love one another no matter what. Along with providing social services for persons with HIV/AIDS, we also seek to educate the general public with facts about the disease in an effort to reduce the stigma and rejection faced by those with the disease and their family members. Today Monsignor Boland is joined by two women who work very closely with our HIV/AIDS programs and services. Pat Drott is the HIV/AIDS Liaison to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Carla Gutierrez is a Medical Case Manager Liaison, serving persons with HIV/AIDS in Lake County.

November brings us Veterans Day, and even though U.S. troops have been pulled out of many conflicts, veterans issues are frequently in the headlines, particularly stories about homelessness, joblessness, and lack of medical services. Catholic Charities was founded in 1917, when the U.S. was in the throes of WWI and nearly every family had a member who was serving or had served in the military. Widows of deceased soldiers and those with spouses seriously injured, by horrific trench warfare and poison gas, were struggling to make ends meet in an era when public assistance was very limited and charity mostly came from religious and civic groups. Catholic Charities started feeding, clothing, and counseling these families. Today, with more than 21 million veterans living in the U.S., the needs still remain and Catholic Charities is still here, finding new ways to support veterans and their families. Today David Dempsey, Program Director at our St. Leo Veterans Campus and Maggie Oscar, Department Director of Social Services for Veteran Families join Monsignor Boland to discuss our programs for veterans.

Organizing Catholics for Justice (OCJ) is a program within the Archdiocese’s Office for Peace and Justice. OCJ was started by lay Catholics seeking to unite Chicago Catholics in their baptismal call to build the Kingdom of God with the work of social justice. Through education, resource sharing and direct action, Organizing Catholics for Justice describes itself as “a place to come together across parishes, across issues, as a united body to love our neighbor.” Joining Monsignor Boland today is John Barrett, a retired trauma surgeon and leadership member of “Organizing Catholics for Justice” to discuss the connections between charity and justice.

Catholic Charities has “welcomed the stranger” throughout our history in Chicago, as groups of immigrants from various countries came to our city in search of a better life. In 1975 we started our Refugee Resettlement program, to assist those fleeing persecution or danger in their home countries. In forty years, we have helped resettle 10,000 refugees. Today, our Refugee Resettlement Program works with families and individuals from across the globe, including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Along with providing food, shelter and financial assistance to new arrivals, staff in our Refugee Resettlement program addresses the emotional needs of our clients, who are often feeling disoriented, lonely and anxious as they adapt to an entirely new culture. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Elma Kulovic of Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement program, and Lori Felix, of the Campaign for Human Development, which funds our LOOM program. LOOM helps refugee women create and sell hand-crafted clothing and accessories.

At Catholic Charities we interface with the growing Hispanic/Latino community in Chicago in a number of ways. First, our programs serve a large number of Latinos. Last year, Catholic Charities met the needs of more than 160,000 Latinos, who comprised 16% of the total number of people served by our programs. Second, the Latino population in the Chicago area is a young one. In Chicago, more than 40% of children younger than age five are Latino. In some suburbs that percentage rises to 50 or even 80. So bilingual/bicultural early childhood programs are becoming even more important. Today Monsignor Boland is joined by Ilse Zenteno, Bilingual Project Manager for our Office of Latino Affairs, and Maria Caridad Rositas Montemayor, PhD, Early Childhood Program Manager to discuss the early childhood and other services Catholic Charities offers Latinos.

Did you know that almost 20 people per minute are victims of domestic violence in the United States? Or that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes? Domestic violence is a heartbreaking phenomenon that impacts everyone in a family, especially children who may witness or directly experience abuse. Along with physical and emotional injury, violence erodes the dignity of human life. Domestic violence can occur to individuals and families of all socio-economic, religious, and cultural groups. However, research has shown that women in lower income households have a higher prevalence of intimate partner violence. Since most of the programs Catholic Charities operates serve low income people and communities, the issue of domestic violence is often present in our work. Catholic Charities addresses domestic violence in different ways. We offer domestic violence counseling for women, a family shelter for victims, focused therapies for children and teens who have witnessed abuse or been victims themselves, a comprehensive program for immigrant women in abusive situations, a parish outreach initiative, and elder abuse services. Today Monsignor Boland is by Kathy Donahue, Senior Vice President of Program Development, and Maeve Raphelson, a counselor in our domestic violence program.

Learning is a part of life at Catholic Charities.. Learning makes change possible, and Catholic Charities must change constantly to provide compassionate care for the poor. Catholic Charities partners with academia in a few different ways. We host dozens of interns each year who come to us from as far away as Mexico City. These interns help out with our programs while furthering their education. Another way we partner with academia is through research and consultation. Finally, we are a large enough agency that staff who are advancing their educations can often do internships in another service area, further strengthening our agency by increasing the number of workers who are “cross-trained”. Today Monsignor Boland is joined by Heidi Darville, Associate Director of Human Resources, to discuss partnerships with academia.

Hunger is a prevalent and ongoing problem in Chicago. Every day, Catholic Charities feeds scores of individuals and families, through our food pantries, evening suppers, congregate and home delivered meals for seniors; commodity food distribution, and our Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. One in five children living in Cook County is at risk of hunger. September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign mobilizing the public to take action on the issue of hunger. The campaign brings greater attention to the issue of hunger in America and promotes ways for individuals everywhere to get involved with the movement to solve it. Joining Monsignor Boland today is Diane Nunely, Associate Vice President, Community Development and Outreach Services, to discuss how Catholic Charities is addressing hunger.

“Recent cuts to the state-funded Child Care Assistance Program are devastating to low-income families served by Catholic Charities. These families are seeking to become self-sufficient and are not able to pay market-rate for quality childcare services their children need to succeed in school. Today Monsignor Boland is joined by Laura Rios and Tasha Johnson of our Child, Youth and Family Services area to discuss this crisis and why child development programs need our support.”

You may have heard the term, “Quality Assurance,” in relation to a service or business that you use. We all want the products and other things we use to be the best. Social service agencies also seek to provide high-quality experiences for their clients. However, unlike a floor wax or dental implants, the “products” Catholic Charities promotes are the success stories of the people we serve; our ability to provide help and hope to those in need. Because we are a very large and complex organization, with more than 3000 staff and more than 150 programs, we have created a system of goals and measureable outcomes across our service areas that help us track our success. Kathy Donahue, Senior Vice President of Programs, joins Monsignor Boland to discuss how we manage our Performance and Quality Improvement or “PQI” efforts.

The City of Chicago broadly defines a “food desert” as a census block located more than a mile from a large retail food store. More than 380,000 Chicagoans live in a food desert, and over 100,000 of those are children. About 70% of the total food desert population is African American, with the remainder split between Caucasians and Latinos. Catholic Charities is part of the solution to food deserts. We provide a wide range of nutrition programs, and one of the most recent is a “mobile grocery” service, called Crisp! Recently, Catholic Charities expanded on the Crisp! model by opening a “pop-up” store in a public housing development in Ford Heights, an economically depressed suburb of Chicago. This new form of outreach not only brings fresh, healthy food to a food desert, it has also provided jobs for community residents. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Jonathan Wittig Director of Crisp! Mobile Grocery, and Tawanna Berdin, Crisp! Sales Representative.

A family of three needs $4,632 in savings to subsist at the poverty level for at least 3 months if their income suddenly stops, yet over one out of every four Illinois households does not have this amount saved. Family poverty is associated with a number of adverse conditions that can result in homelessness, hunger, and food insecurity. Children in low-income families are more likely to experience multiple family transitions, move frequently, and change schools. The stress of living in poverty and struggling to meet daily needs can also impair parenting. Catholic Charities Lake County Family Self-Sufficiency Program aids struggling single-parent families through comprehensive case management, housing and employment services for up to five years, so that they can achieve self-sufficiency and break the cycle of poverty. Jacqueline Small, Employment Specialist for our Family Self-Sufficiency Program in Lake County, joins Monsignor Boland to explain what this unique program does and to share some of its exciting success stories.

There are more than 1.2 million uninsured persons in the Chicago area. Over 900,000 of them live in Cook and Lake counties, where Catholic Charities annually hosts several community-based health fairs. In 2014 we met the medical needs of approximately 700 people with free exams, screenings and immunizations. Going into communities is something Catholic Charities has always done, and our health fairs are a shining example of this mission. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Kate Mulvaney, Regional Director of the City of Chicago and our Director of Health Initiatives, Linda Ewing, Holy Cross Hospital Community Outreach Director, and Conrad Stasieluk, Project Manager, to tell us more about the Health Fairs.

Usually living on fixed incomes, seniors are particularly challenged when it comes to finding affordable housing. When a senior can no longer live independently, yet doesn’t have the resources to pay for assisted living, there are few places they can turn. However, Catholic Charities’ Bishop Conway Residence is a place where seniors with low income can live safely and remain social in a caring community. Bishop Conway Residence offers “supportive” living, where seniors live in apartments but take their meals and socialize communally. There are also social services, and other services onsite. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Gaby Saldana, Director of Bishop Conway Residence, and Assistant Director, Kindle Wilfinger.

Evolving medical procedures are allowing more and more seniors to survive heart attacks, and to choose joint replacements for hips and knees to improve their mobility as they age. Nursing facilities are adjusting to these trends by offering more options for short-term rehabilitation of people with cardiac conditions, have undergone joint replacement or are recovering from a stroke. Catholic Charities’ Holy Family Villa Skilled Nursing Care facility recently completed a major expansion; going from 99 beds to 129 and adding a state-of-the art rehabilitation center for speech, physical and occupational therapy for residents. Eventually, outpatient therapy services will be added. The goal is to provide high-quality, compassionate care that is close to home for seniors so they can regain and maintain their quality of life. Joining Monsignor Boland today care are Margaret (Maggie) McDowell, Director of Nursing at Holy Family Villa, and Julie Regan, Admissions and Social Services Director.

In Cook County, one in five children are at risk of hunger. The Greater Chicago Food Depository, which serves Cook County, reports that only 11.5 percent of Illinois children eligible for free and reduced-price school meals received free summer meals last year. Summer meals are critically important because children who receive free breakfast and lunch during the school year may go hungry in the summer when school is out. Along with child hunger, unemployment among youth is a serious problem that also becomes more obvious when school is out. In Chicago, just 11 percent of teens from the lowest household income group (less than $20,000) were employed in 2012/2013. Teens’ chances of being employed rose with family income. Nearly 30 percent of teens in families earning $100,000 to $150,000 were employed in 2012/2013. Diane Nunley and Gina Cleggs, both Associate Vice Presidents in Catholic Charities Community Development and Outreach Services area, which focuses on nutrition and employment programs, join Monsignor Boland to discuss how we are addressing both child hunger and youth unemployment.

For nearly 15 years, people who are hungry or homeless can enjoy a hot meal Monday through Friday at Catholic Charities St. Vincent Center. We are always at capacity and give out sack meals to those who cannot be accommodated at a table. On a typical night, we feed about 150 people. Many return, for the food, fellowship, and access to social services provided by dedicated staff and volunteers. Twelve years ago, we began a program called “Visions of My Life” where our supper guests are given the opportunity to showcase their photographic talents by using disposable cameras to capture scenes from their lives. The “Visions” program is staffed entirely by volunteers who meet one on one with the supper guests to review and select photos that will be displayed at an annual gallery show each June. Prints sell for $100 each and the photographers keep $70. The balance is used to pay for materials; cameras, matting and frames. This year’s Visions event will take place over two days: Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, at Catholic Charities headquarters, 721 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago. The show is FREE and family-friendly. Refreshments are served. Kathy Donahue, Senior Vice President of Programs, Jody O’Connor a Board Member and long-term “Visions” volunteer, and Rosemary Watson, a supper guest who participates in the photography program join Monsignor Boland to talk about this uplifting program.