Mountains of boxes mark Christmastime love for Sarah’s House
When Michelle Hood heard that Sarah's House had shifted its holiday donations to a virtual format this year, she went online, too. She asked her Facebook friends to consider donating just one item from the Amazon wish lists the program had posted, and the result was powerful. "You think it's such a big world, and [...]
Catholic Charities and local musical standouts deliver Christmas concerts directly to your inbox in a month-long virtual holiday celebration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Shawna Prince Manager of Media Relations & Editorial Content 667-600-2007 (o) 872-572-1873 (m) sprince@cc-md.org (Baltimore, December 14, 2020) - ‘Tis the season for Christmas trees adorned with candy canes and stars, bells of holly, Christmas lights and plenty of Christmas carolers. We may not have carolers at our door this year, [...]
St. Elizabeth earns federal government’s highest rating
St. Elizabeth Rehabilitation and Nursing Center received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, placing it "much above average" for nursing homes, based on its performance in health inspections, staffing and quality of resident care. The rating system, available here, is designed to provide comparable, easy-to-understand snapshots of facilities and ratings [...]
Rapid re-housing as a response to pressures of COVID-19 in Baltimore City
With support from the federal government, Baltimore City is working to quickly move people from shelters or other temporary settings into permanent homes, and Catholic Charities will be a key partner in that effort. The agency received $2.5 million to support the work, which is expected to last 20 months. The Housing Opportunities and Stability [...]
A few ways to wrap up your holiday love
Christmas will look very different at St. Vincent's Villa this year. In 2019, more than 100 volunteers decorated the building, inside and out, creating a magical environment for children living there. This year, COVID-19 restrictions prevent that kind of outside support, another blow in what Mikael Kristiansen, the program's director of community outreach and volunteer [...]
Villa Maria balances students’ urgent needs in considering a return to school
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck earlier this year, schools across the country have wrestled with complex criteria to determine when and how to resume in-person learning, poring over data and trends to make the safest decisions for students, teachers and staff. At Villa Maria School, which serves children with significant emotional, behavioral and learning challenges, [...]
In a year fraught with challenge, Catholic Charities’ Comfort & Joy warms December with virtual gifts for all
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Shawna Prince Manager of Media Relations & Editorial Content 667-600-2007 (o) 872-572-1873 (m) sprince@cc-md.org In a year fraught with challenge, Catholic Charities’ Comfort & Joy warms December with virtual gifts for all {Baltimore, November 23, 2020} This year, holiday festivities may be different, but that doesn’t mean the spirit [...]
So much more than a fresh coat of paint
When Cheryl M. first heard about the renovations to the shelter buildings at Sarah's House she was skeptical. She and her son had moved in shortly before COVID-19 struck Maryland. It was her first experience in a shelter, and while she was pleased with the private room and liked the staff, she didn't understand why [...]
Working for racial justice in Baltimore
"It’s very easy to make assumptions about what a community needs if you’re not listening," says Kevin Creamer, director of St. Edward's Workforce Development Center. Instead, Catholic Charities is intentionally listening and working to be accountable to the communities it serves. Hear more about what he told the Charities at Work podcast about his work [...]
Keeping Baltimore’s streets safe one corner at a time
Greg Marshburn, director of the Safe Streets program of Catholic Charities of Baltimore, joined Charities at Work, a podcast of Catholic Charities USA, to talk about how Safe Streets interrupts neighborhood violence and encourages positive outcomes. This public health-focused program is making a difference in Baltimore's Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood, helping people reject violence and embrace paths [...]