Thousands of Needy Benefit from Catholic Charities, BLA

By Alfonso Aguilar
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 4/11/02)

As part of the 26th Annual Bishop’s Lenten Appeal (BLA) financial goal of $5.5 million, nearly $500,000 is to be allocated to support and enhance Catholic Charities programs.

The amount destined for Catholic Charities programs represents an increase of over $300,000 with respect to the amount provided in 1999, when Catholic Charities received $161,300. Such an increase reflects Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s desire to provide more help for the poor and needy who are experiencing greater needs within the Diocese of Arlington, according to Michael J. O’Rourke, associate director of Finance and Administration for Catholic Charities.

Catholic Charities, a non-profit agency implementing the Church’s social mission, operates 11 programs in nine different locations within the diocese, including Arlington, Winchester and Fredericksburg, and its services are open to all who are in need.

The budget for Fiscal Year 2002 is $4.1 million. For the third year in a row, says Executive Director Father Charles C. McCoart, Catholic Charities spent 89 cents of every dollar on program services. Last year, more than 40,000 poor and needy people benefited from its services.

The Children’s Services Office in Burke offers crisis pregnancy counseling, adoption and foster care services. Since 1947, the program has been the vehicle for the adoption of 2,494 children, many of them from abroad, says a report for fiscal year 2001.

The Foster Care program provides temporary care of infants and toddlers on an emergency basis, as well as care for pregnant women. Last year 2,051 days of care for pregnant women and foster care for infants and toddlers was provided.

Through counseling, medical assistance, financial help and education, Catholic Charities helped over 300 women deliver healthy babies in 2001.

Christ House Shelter program is a 24-hour hospitality house located in Alexandria. It provides food, housing, clothing and counseling to the homeless, while offering training to promote self-sufficiency.

To overcome family breakdowns in unforeseen emergencies, Catholic Charities offers temporary financial help to avoid evictions, loss of utility services or lack of money to pay for medicine. Every year nearly 3,000 individuals are assisted in emergency cases.

Other program encourages parishes to help disabled persons. Donated cars in working condition are given to needy families; last year 123 cars were donated to Catholic Charities and given to families.

Other Catholic Charities programs help people to cope with emotional difficulties, such as anxiety, depression or marital problems. The Family Service program provides counseling in English and Spanish. In 2001, more than 5,000 individuals, couples and families were counseled by professional clinicians.

Through Hogar Hispano in Falls Church, Catholic Charities serves the Latino community with a variety of services such as English as a Second Language, legal services and a 24-hour Emergency Hotline/Job Placement Service. Last year Hogar Hispano enrolled 1,200 foreign students in English courses and assisted almost 10,000 with immigration services.

Other Catholic Charities programs deal with community partnerships between the diocese and its 67 parishes, and with people in prison and their families.

In addition to these programs, Catholic Charities operates a senior center to help elderly people with a wide spectrum of issues. More than 2,500 individuals received assistance at St. Martin de Porres Senior Center in Alexandria in 2001.

Catholic Charities also receives financial support from the United Way, as well as from professional service fees, grants, contributions and special events.

The Bishop’s Lenten Appeal theme this year is "A Sacrifice in Thanksgiving."

"All sacrifice costs us something, however, making our sacrificial gift in a spirit of joyful thanks to God for the many blessings we have received gives us a positive reason to embrace the cost," said Bishop Loverde in announcing the campaign.  

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