Statement on Racial Justice
“We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.” ~ Pope Francis, June 3, 2020 At Catholic Charities, our mission teaches …
Sinishaw’s Story
Catholic Charities Employee Completes the Cycle of Citizenship Sinisha Iticha and his wife Edatu, both refugees from Ethiopia, became naturalized citizens on February 1, 2019 in Des Moines at the Federal Courthouse. The couple arrived as refugees through Catholic Charities …
Nicole’s Story
Nicole is a survivor of abuse and trafficking. Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program (formerly Phoenix House) helped her heal, discover her true value, and start a new life. She shared her dramatic story with United …
Summer Parenting
By: Harmony Linden, L.I.S.W. Summer break is a time when children have less structure and routine. This might lead to more defiance or new problems with behavior. Sometimes parents feel overwhelmed or anxious about their children when they …
Ellen’s Story
When people think about food pantries, families with young children often come to mind. Catholic Charities Food Pantry serves 547 people over the age of 62 a monthly emergency food box annually. For many senior citizens, their only source …
90 Days
Many of us can accomplish a lot in 90 days, but what if that is all you had to turn your family’s life around? What if you had a family of 10 and no job, outstanding bills, no …
Family of Four
Author’s Note: This is a true account of a family at the Catholic Charities St. Joseph Emergency Family Shelter. The names of the family and some details have been changed to protect the privacy of the family. Catholic …
Elizabeth’s Story
On February 9th 2017 Representative David Young met with Catholic Charities staff and clients to learn more about the plight of refugees coming to America. He met individually with three Catholic Charites refugee clients from El Salvador, Burma, and Somalia …