Posted by Sr. Marjorie Hebert, MSC | August 2017 |

Dear Friends of Catholic Charities,

I hope that each of you found the summer months to be a time of relaxation, leisure and enjoying a slower pace of activities – the same cannot be said for us here at Catholic Charities! We had a busy summer full of service. From high school students participating in SERVE (Students Engaging in Reflective Volunteer Experience) to our continued relief efforts in the wake of the February tornado in New Orleans East and everything in between, we have continued our mission to serve those most in need in our community.

For many, including our Head Start students, August marks the end of the summer and the beginning of a new school year. Catholic Charities has been providing New Orleans area children with a “Head Start” in life for nearly four decades. Head Start centers provide early childhood education and health, social and nutrition services to qualifying children. Head Start also supports parents and families in achieving their educational, financial and other goals.

In 2016, Catholic Charities opened a new Early Head Start center at Covenant House. While the program is open to any family who qualifies, the Covenant House partnership fills a critical need for care and services for the children of homeless parents who have turned to Covenant House for help and support. The program provides quality care, comprehensive early childhood education and health services for 20 children.

Additionally, St. Paul the Apostle Head Start and Early Head Start center opened in New Orleans East, which is an area traditionally underserved in community resources, especially in the area of education. These new sites allow Catholic Charities to continue serving families most in need.

The fall also marks the beginning of the annual Archbishop Hannan Community Appeal (AHCA). Now in its 52nd year, the volunteer-driven campaign rallies the community to raise unrestricted funds that allow us to respond quickly and efficiently in times of crisis, such as the floods and tornadoes that have affected our area in recent times. We look forward to what is sure to be another successful campaign.

Join me in celebrating new beginnings as we move into a new season and a new school year. Thank you for your continued and generous support of all we do here at Catholic Charities.

God bless you,

Sr. Marjorie Hebert, MSC
President/CEO