Voice of Charity

Cooke's Manor is a recovery home for veterans operated by Catholic Charities on the Hines VA campus. Today Monsignor Boland speaks with Gloria Wright and Danita Pines about their work at this unique program.

CSI and ACES are two of the programs Catholic Charities runs to help persons struggling with substance abuse. Today Monsignor Boland speaks with Kevin Doyle and Patricia Bogie about their work.

Catholic Charities Congregate Meal program serves hot, tasty, noon-time meals at senior centers or other programs. Congregate meals help seniors maintain good nutrition and provide socialization for many who might otherwise eat alone in their homes. Today, Monsignor Boland talks with Donna Schultz, Food Service Manager and Rob Boyd, Senior Center Director, about the program.

Nearly 35 years ago, Catholic Charities began groundbreaking work by counseling the survivors of suicide; those family members and friends left behind when someone made the tragic decision to end their life. Our Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide (LOSS) program has helped thousands of people over the years. Our model of individual counseling by trained professionals and support groups facilitated by survivors has been recognized internationally. A few years ago, we started a new chapter in LOSS’s history by launching a program for children and youth impacted by suicide. Today, Monsignor Boland is joined by Jessica Mead and Cynthia Waderlow who will tell us more the child and youth program and an upcoming fundraiser that supports it.

Today’s youth face many challenges from a fast-paced society full of questionable influences. Parents are busy making a living and may not be able to give their children all the attention they would like. Catholic Charities in Lake County has realized a need in that community and is starting a Youth Mentoring Program that will pair adult volunteers with children ages 9 to 12. Joining Monsignor Boland today are Sarah Loffman and Beth Sheehan-Lucas of Catholic Charities’ Child, Youth and Family Services. Together, these women are launching this new program.

20 years ago, Catholic Charities created a new model for delivering federally-funded nutrition services to pregnant or nursing mothers and their young children. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program provides nutritious foods like milk, whole grain cereals, and fresh fruits and vegetables to thousands of families in Cook County. Catholic Charities’ model includes food centers where participants “shop” for healthy foods while their children play in supervised onsite daycare. Participants can also access other services at the sites, such as vision screenings, and assistance with childhood immunizations. Catholic Charities’ WIC centers are hubs of support in the low-income communities where they are located. Associate Vice President Diane Nunley joins Monsignor Boland to discuss the WIC program and its impact.

One of the many ways Catholic Charities attacks the problem of hunger in Chicagoland is through its Summer Lunch Program, which serves thousands of children during the months they are out of school. The program provides “more than a meal,” by offering activities and consistency to children whose lives are often disrupted by the challenges of poverty. Mike Hyzy, Project Director and Business Specialist with Catholic Charities joins Monsignor Boland for an insightful discussion.

Keenager News is a 12-page, free newspaper published by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The paper brings news, entertainment, reflection and humor to nearly 100,000 seniors each month. Now in its 44th year, Keenager News is mailed directly to seniors’ homes. For more information, please call: (312) 655-7425 or visit: www.keenagernews.org.

Catholic Charities’ Senior Unity Mass is an annual celebration of seniors held at Holy Name Cathedral. Over 300 seniors gather to worship together, and then enjoy fellowship over a box lunch. Board of Advisors members Mary Ellen Kastenholz and Jeanne Hardy are volunteering to help with this year’s Unity Mass.

“A Day at the Races” benefit for Catholic Charities North Region Office, Emergency Services. Volunteer Nancy Morrison who is a member of the North Region Advisory Board discusses volunteerism and the upcoming benefit which will help the North Region provide food and other emergency services to a growing population of suburban poor.

Monsignor Boland speaks to Sharon Tilmon, Assistant Director, Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance Department, about the St. Sabina emergency assistance center in Englewood and the upcoming Hunger Walk, which benefits a number of Catholic Charities food pantries.

Bishop Conway Residence is a “Supportive Living” facility that offers seniors an affordable place to live safely and socially when they can no longer live independently. Gaby Saldana, director of Bishop Conway Residence, talks with Monsignor Boland about the program.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Jody O’Connell, Maureen Kelly and Ellen Gorney who volunteer with Catholic Charities’ After Supper Visions photography project. The women devote hours each week to helping our supper guests realize their creative potential through photography. The After Supper Visions gallery show will be held on June 7 and 8th.

Mgsr. Mike Boland has Mike Ward, board member and member of The Government Relations Committee, talking about our advocacy efforsts in the legislature in Springfield.

Msgr. Mike Boland speaks with Kate Mulvaney, Regional Director for the City of Chicago and Director of Health Initiatives about the upcoming community health fairs.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Norman Carlson, Catholic Charities’ Board of Advisors Member and Co-Chair of our Veterans In Need event, which benefits Catholic Charities veteran’s programs.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Bobbie Magurany, Director of Holy Family Villa and John Parisi, co-chair of the Bishop Lyne Celebration Dinner about this event and its beneficiary, Holy Family Villa.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Reverend Gerard Kelly, Associate Administrator and Chaplain of Catholic Charities about the selection process of the new Pope in Rome.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Rev. John Moulder, Director of the Chi Town Jazz Festival about this wonderful upcoming benefit, whose proceeds go to help feed the hungry in Chicago.

Monsignor Boland speaks with Luiz Barbosa of the Mobile Outreach Program

Monsignor Boland speaks with Sandra Murray about the Homelessness Prevention Call Center

Monsignor Mike Boland speaks with Mary Ann bibat, Vice President of Senior Social Services at Catholic Charities about celebrating the holidays with our seniors.

Monsignor Michael Boland speaks with Sr. Cathy Ryan, OSF, Director of Maryville Academy.

Monsignor Boland talks with Jim Wogan about the Lake County Adopt a Family Program

Monsignor Boland talks to Pat Drott about HIV/AIDS and World AIDS Day.

Monsignor Boland speaks with Bob Sullivan, President and CEO of Fifth Third Bank about the ongoing partnership with Catholic Charities and Fifth Third Bank.

In today’s show Monsignor Boland speaks with Norene Chesebro, Director of Catholic Charities Maternity Adoption Department, and Lisa Holmes, Dawn Earp, and Doug Earp who were all adopted through Catholic Charities.

Monsignor Boland talks to John M. Breen about religious liberty and the HHS mandate.

Monsignor speaks with Deborah Hammond, Program Director of Catholic Charities’ Domestic Violence Programs and Patricia Ann Broderick, Clinical Family Services Specialist on Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Dr. Maria Vidal – Professor of the Loyola Univesity School of Social Work and member of Catholic Charities’ Board of Advisors and Latino Advisory Committee, Estefania Arreguin from the Department of Latino Affairs at Catholic Charities and Mauricio Alvarez, a student at IberroAmericana and volunteer at Catholic Charities about our IberroAmericana exchange program.

Monsignor speaks with Dalia Rocotello, Director of Latino Affairs for Catholic Charities and Clem Martin, Executive Director of Cicero Catholic Schools and member of the Catholic Charities Board of Directors and West Region Advisory Board.

Monsignor speaks with Angel Gutierrez, Vice President of Community Development and Outreach Services for Catholic Charities about Hunger Action Month.

Monsignor Boland speaks with Evelyn Diaz, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services about the rollout of the city’s Plan 2.0 to end homelessness and Catholic Charities’ involvement.

Monsignor Boland speaks with Christene Dykes-Sorrells about our Emergency Assistance Program.

Brother Leo Keigher, a St Vincent DePaul brother who has been working with the homeless for over 40 years in the Chicagoland area. These are his stories of his dealing and helping the homeless.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Jim Thompson, President of Affinity Marketing and Travel Consulting and Culinary Classics Committee Co-Chair and Tom Zimmer, Catholic Charities Board Member and Meals on Wheels Volunteer. Jim and Tom discuss our Lake County Meals On Wheels Program and the Culinary Classics Event to benefit the program

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with im Rivelli, partner at Winston & Strawn, LLP and Catholic Charities board member about the recent lawsuit Catholic Charities joined involving the HHS mandate.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Dr. Eddie Taylor, Program Director at our St. Leo Residence, a home for veterans on Chicago’s south side.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Ronald Cobb, a lawyer with Lusak and Cobb and member of the Order of the Knights of Malta about religious freedom.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Edward Flavin, Catholic Charities new Communications Director.

Today, Monsignor Boland speaks with Lisa Pauletto, Director of the Catholic Charities Junior Board about its upcoming 10th anniversary and all the ways people can be involved.

This week, Monsignor Boland speaks with Tim Rivelli, partner at Winston & Strawn, LLP and Catholic Charities board member about religious liberty.

Monsignor Boland speaks with Jody O’Connor and Noreen Russo about our Visions of My Life photography program, a 2 day exhibit which highlights photography work by Catholic Charities’ supper guests, and benefits the guests themselves.

Monsignor Boland speaks with Bertel Smith, Supervisor of our Veterans Employment Project and Renee A. Rouse, an Army veteran and program participant about the Veterans Employment Project.”

Legendary photographer Ansel Adams once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Seventeen years ago, a group of dedicated volunteers became a Photo Team, embracing Adams’ thought and inviting guests of the Catholic Charities Tuesday Night Supper to learn how to become photographers in the enjoyable, transformative program called After Supper Visions. After Supper Visions is one of 158 programs Catholic Charities operates in 174 locations across Cook and Lake Counties. Joining Monsignor Boland to discuss the upcoming 17th Annual After Supper Visions Photo Exhibition are Noreen Russo and Linda Roxe, members of the current Photo Team.