In This Issue

Summer is for Service

CCANO in Photos

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Class in Session

Summer ESL Registration in June. Read more…

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New sites for Food For Seniors

We are pleased to have two new Food for Seniors sites starting monthly food box distributions this June for low-income seniors – Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Violet, LA and the Westbank YMCA in Algiers. Food For Seniors/Food For Families currently holds food box distributions throughout all 64 Louisiana parishes at sites like senior living facilities, senior day care centers, community centers and churches. Enrollment in Food For Seniors is always open. Interested seniors can call toll free 1-800-522-3333 to see if they qualify, to register or to find the Food For Seniors distribution site nearest them.

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CCANO on Instagram

We’re on Instagram! Follow @cathcharitiesNO on Instagram and be sure to follow us on Twitter and on Facebook too!

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Respecting the dignity and potential of each human person, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans collaborates with the wider community to serve those in need. Impelled by the love and teaching of Jesus Christ, we offer life-giving programs, advocate for the voiceless, and empower the poor and vulnerable to foster a more just society.

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Partners in Mission

To better serve those in need, Catholic Charities strives to work hand-in-hand with our local church parishes. Leadership and staff have begun a series of meetings and workshops with the regions of our archdiocese in order to connect those in ministry in our parishes with the resources and services of Catholic Charities and our network of community partners. We’re grateful for the wonderful response and participation of our parish ministers and are looking forward to creating new ways to provide help and hope to those in need. We’ll keep you posted on updates! If your parish is interested in joining in these meetings, contact Tom Costanza at (504) 596-3097 or email [email protected].

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Padua Gets a Boost from Online Giving

Wow! We have been blown away by the extraordinary support we’ve been receiving for Padua Community Services! Initially, we hoped to raise $15,000 from April 13-June 13, the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua. With the combined efforts of many online donors through our Givezooks page and the first ever GiveNOLA Day hosted by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, we have almost DOUBLED our goal! Padua Community Services provides homes and specialized care for the physically and developmentally disabled, many of whom look to Padua staff as their closest family. Our Padua caregivers and staff are constantly giving their time, their love and their attention to these special children and adults. The support felt through this campaign really means a lot to those caring for Padua residents and clients.

“It seems like a little thing to see a ‘like’ on a Facebook photo of Padua or a few dollars donated to our services, but truly, every little thing makes a big difference for us,” said Niki Trager, Director of Padua Community Services. “Our staff really work hard to make this place a home for our clients, so encouraging to see this outpouring of support for what we’re doing every day.”

Still a little time to make a difference for Padua! Click here.

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A Tradition of Care: Donor Spotlight – AARP Belle Chasse

For many years, the Belle Chasse Chapter of the AARP has been a quiet but constant source of support for Padua Community Services’ Padua House. Their recurring monthly donation of around $25 has been a standing donation on their books for longer than most current members can remember.“I’ve been in this group for over ten years and I know we’ve been supporting Padua longer than ten years!” said Diane Landry, treasurer of the Belle Chasse AARP for the past six years. “I would say at least 20 years or more, we’ve been doing this.”

With around 120 members, many in the group make it a point to stop by for a visit to Padua House’s Christmas party each year. Although the Belle Chasse Chapter of the AARP supports many of the groups doing good works in their community, Padua holds a special place in their hearts. Landry said, “Our members are very giving and we’re always ready to help. We know the residents are getting excellent care there.”

Padua House provides 24-care and a home for disabled children and adults. Support in any amount makes a difference in the lives of these residents by providing for their daily needs from diapers and medical equipment to clothing and comforts of home. Thank you to the members of the Belle Chasse Chapter of the AARP for their commitment to these clients! For more about programs like Padua House and Padua Community Services, click here.

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Summer is for Service

Summer time means service time at Catholic Charities! One hundred high school students are volunteering with our SERVE (Students Engaging in Reflective Volunteer Experiences) throughout this month and July. Photos and more of the fun and service will be shared on Catholic Charities’ Facebook, Twitter and new Instagram account. Be sure to follow us and catch all the good works!

SERVE Volunteers! Use #SERVEnola and share your pics with us this summer!

Explore current volunteer opportunities or ways to give.

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CCANO in Photos

Housewarming for Foster Care Programs. Our foster care programs held an open house at their new Claire Avenue site in Gretna on May 21, 2014. Thanks to friends and supporters of Independent Living Skills Program and Therapeutic Family Services for helping us settle into our new home! Check out more photos on our Facebook page.

Making peacemakers of our time. Isaiah 43 holds a mentor/mentee workshop at St. David Church in the 9th Ward on June 9, 2014.

In This Issue

GiveNOLA Day is May 6!

CCANO in Photos

ACCESS Mobile Pregnancy Center Spring Schedule

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CRS Rice Bowl

What you give up for Lent changes lives around the world and in your own community! Our Office of Justice and Peace is once again leading the charge for CRS Rice Bowl in our Archdiocese. Have you been filling your rice bowl for those in need around the globe this Lent? Still time for reflection, almsgiving and fasting as we observe Holy Week! Find resources and more at CRS Rice Bowl or call our Office of Justice and Peace at (504) 596-3097.

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ACCESS Mobile Pregnancy Center Spring Schedule

Tuesdays – Divine Mercy, 4337 Sal Lentini Pkwy., Kenner

Wednesdays – Covington Food Bank, 840 N. Columbia St., Covington

Thursdays – Hope Haven, 1101 Barataria Blvd., Marrero

Call 504-427-1278 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Access pregnancy van brings resources to neighborhoods Read more about our mobile services via the Advocate.

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LAST CHANCE!

Join us for our final fundraising night of the spring at the New Orleans Arena and cheer the Pelicans on to victory!

At least $5 from each ticket goes back to Catholic Charities when you use code CCN at purchase. Come have a good time for a good cause! Click here for details and to get your tickets!

April 14, 2014 Pelicans vs. Thunder 7:00PM

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Respecting the dignity and potential of each human person, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans collaborates with the wider community to serve those in need. Impelled by the love and teaching of Jesus Christ, we offer life-giving programs, advocate for the voiceless, and empower the poor and vulnerable to foster a more just society.

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It’s National Volunteer Week!

We’re celebrating service with National Volunteer Week! Volunteers are truly the hands and heart of our mission to serve as Jesus served and to love as Jesus loved. Each year, thousands of individuals and groups commit their time and talents providing crucial assistance and support for our programs. Thank you to our many volunteers who are the action verbs in our mission!

Did you know? In 2012-2013, 11,298 volunteers gave 225,948 hours of service across our programs! The value of this volunteer work is over $2 million to Catholic Charities and priceless to the thousands of people these volunteers touched!

Keep up the good work or get involved! Explore current volunteer opportunities or ways to give.

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Cornerstone Builders Offers a New Beginning

Easter and spring bring the promise of new life. One of our many programs offering this promise of renewal and hope is our Cornerstone Builders AmeriCorps program which assists formerly incarcerated men and women to find a new path in life. Cornerstone AmeriCorps members are employed full-time in various non-profits engaging in good works in the community. Members of the program serve as mentors, distribute food from food banks, work in community gardens and assist others in finding and maintaining employment.

Cornerstone Builders recently welcomed 16 men and women into the program at a “New Beginnings” Ceremony. Coming together as a group for the first time, these men and women joined with members of the community in support for one another as they begin their new journeys. They shared their personal stories of challenges and how they came to Cornerstone Builders. Although backgrounds and life experiences varied, all shared a sincere gratitude for the opportunity to forge a new path in life while building up the community through their work in Cornerstone Builders.

“I’m here in AmeriCorps with Catholic Charities to end life doing what’s right,” said Cornerstone Builder Leonard “Buddy” Bastida at the New Beginnings ceremony. Buddy spent 30 years in Angola Prison and now works with Hispanic Apostolate through the Cornerstone Program. “Anywhere I can help somebody do something that’s right and positive, I want to be there. I wasted many, many years by doing negative things, but I realized that I am part of the Body of Christ – part of doing what’s right by serving and giving.”

Cornerstone Builders was the first AmeriCorps program of its kind in the nation and has served over 200 individuals. In this season of new life, please pray for our men and women in Cornerstone as they begin a new, positive chapter in their lives. To learn more about this program, click here.

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Save the Date for GiveNOLA!

One day to give as one with the first ever Give NOLA day! Hosted on Tuesday, May 6th by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Give NOLA Day is the community’s first one-day, online giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations who make our region a stronger and thriving community for all. It’s our day to come together as one! Every dollar donated through the Catholic Charities’ GiveNOLA page from midnight to midnight on May 6th will be increased with additional “lagniappe” dollars provided by the Greater New Orleans Foundation and our generous GiveNOLA Day sponsors! More info coming soon. Click here for more details!

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CCANO In Photos

Mayor’s Day For National Service April 1 marked the 2^nd Annual Mayor’s Day of Recognition for National Service. Mayors across the nation took time to honor AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps members working in their communities. AmeriCorps members from Cornerstone Builders and SeniorCorps Foster Grandparents were recognized for their valuable contributions to our community by New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Read more here. We join in saluting them for their service! Pictured: Foster Grandparent SeniorCorp members Barbara August and Sylvia Estavan with Mayor Landrieu.

Padua House gets spruced up for spring! Padua House residents are enjoying colorful new linens in their rooms thanks to the generosity of members of the St. Elizabeth’s Guild and the Rosary Ladies. The Rosary Ladies, a group of local women who have been meeting for over 20 years to gather in prayer, were introduced to Padua’s care for the disabled by members of the group involved in St. Elizabeth’s Guild. On a recent Guild visit, Padua staff mentioned there was a need for new linens, and without hesitation, this group offered to provide! Thanks for helping bring a bit of spring’s colors into our residents’ rooms!

Celebrating the 2013 AHCA The 2013 Archbishop Hannan Community Appeal (AHCA) exceeded its $1.965 million goal through the efforts of our many volunteers who dedicate themselves to being advocates and ambassadors for our mission of service. On March 26, we gathered to celebrate our many long-time AHCA volunteers who continue to make our work possible. Check out photos from the reception here! Pictured: Sr. Marjorie Hebert (President and CEO of Catholic Charities), Evangeline Vavrick (45 yr. Honoree), Thomas Benge and Dorothy Benge (AHCA Donors)

Read Archbishop Hannan Community Appeal raises nearly $2 Million for Catholic Charities of New Orleans area from the Times Picayune.

In This Issue

CCANO in the News

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We are in the final stretch of the Archbishop Hannan Community Appeal! This week, a total of $1,782,093 undesignated dollars has been raised to support the areas of most need in our agency. This is 90% of our goal of $1.965 million! With $182,907 left to raise, we continue to cheer on our outstanding AHCA volunteers under the campaign direction of this year’s chair, JT Hannan. We welcome your involvement if you’d like to help us close out the campaign! Please contact our Director of Development Helen Young at [email protected] or donate online (Be sure to select Archbishop Hannan Community Appeal in the designation drop down menu!).

To learn more about the AHCA, click here or check out our AHCA video!

At least $5 from each ticket goes back to Catholic Charities when you use code CCN at purchase. Come have a good time for a good cause! Click here for details and to get your tickets!

February 24, 2014 Pelicans vs. Clippers 7:00 PM

March 16, 2014 Pelicans vs. Celtics 5:00 PM

April 14, 2014 Pelicans vs. Thunder 7:00PM

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Respecting the dignity and potential of each human person, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans collaborates with the wider community to serve those in need. Impelled by the love and teaching of Jesus Christ, we offer life-giving programs, advocate for the voiceless, and empower the poor and vulnerable to foster a more just society.

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Many Hands, One Heart

On February 8 and 9, the second collection at all Masses in the Archdiocese of New Orleans benefitted our many programs and ministries. THANK YOU to everyone who gave so generously in your parish’s second collection! We are grateful for the support of Archbishop Aymond and all the pastors and parish staff in our archdiocese for supporting this important collection and relaying information about Catholic Charities to your parishioners. YOU are the reason we are able to serve those in need. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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Ministry is a Labor of Love for Foster Grandparents

Foster Grandparents Juanita Martin and Claudia Davenport

One of the unique qualities our staff proudly possess is a heartfelt commitment to our mission of service. Our staff sees their work as a labor of love, and one special group of our staff are our Foster Grandparents. These dedicated seniors are members of our staff at 23 different schools and sites throughout our archdiocese. They work one on one with students in the classroom setting, providing extra attention and support for struggling students. Foster Grandparent of 2 years, Claudia Davenport says the experience is one that gives back. “It’s inspiring because to me, when a parent wants to meet you and they have observed improvement in their child, that’s rewarding for me.”

The fruits of serving as a Foster Grandparent are those that have taken root and spread by the legacy of good works they continue to bring to schools. Many of our current Foster Grandparents heard about the program through working with Foster Grandparents as teachers themselves. Retired teacher and now Foster Grandparent Ledwenia Baudy works side by side with Bobbie Bridges, who was the Foster Grandparent in her classroom when she was a teacher. “Ms. Bobbie was my Foster Grandparent in my classroom when I was teaching, “ said Ms. Baudy. “I knew the things that she would do and help me with and I said, I could do that! Being a Foster Grandparent is really fulfilling because I’m working with children in the same setting that I did for 40 years, so I really enjoy what I’m doing.”

Foster Grandparents Bobbie Bridgers, Ledwenia Baudy and Reatha McGhee

Throughout the year, our 81 Foster Grandparents not only provide assistance in classrooms, but also meet monthly for special speakers and activities. We are grateful for their commitment to our young people, their patience and the wisdom they bring to our ministry! To learn more about this program click here.

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Hispanic Apostolate Offers Information and Assistance

Did you know? Last year, Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Services assisted over 1000 clients and 177 people found employment with the help of the Hispanic Apostolate.

Catholic Charities’ Hispanic Apostolate Community Services has been serving the Hispanic community in New Orleans since 1972. A leader in providing direct client services, community outreach and advocacy to the Hispanic community in the New Orleans area, their services include assistance for immigrants and refugees, counseling, translation services, employment assistance, public safety, ESL classes and much more.

Currently, the Hispanic Apostolate is offering many opportunities for information and services including tax prep help, immigration application assistance and SNAP application assistance. For more information, click here or call (504) 457-3462. Also, tune in to WFNO La Raza 830am/La Mega 107.5fm Saturdays at 10:30am for our weekly radio segment as staff of the Hispanic Apostolate and the Hispanic Pastoral Center discuss current events and issues in our Latino community.

Support Life at the ACCESS Jazz Brunch

The ACCESS Jazz Brunch is Sunday, April 27 from noon til 2PM at the Audubon Tea Room. Tickets are on sale now! Please join us for an afternoon to support life in our community.

ACCESS Pregnancy & Referral Centers provide pro-life pregnancy support services to women throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Annually, ACCESS serves over 1,000 abortion-vulnerable women through free and confidential services including pregnancy testing, ultrasound, material support and case management services.

Did you know?

• ACCESS distributes over 25,000 diapers to moms in need annually!
• ACCESS provided 301 ultrasounds for expectant moms last year!

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CCANO in the News

Catholic Charities of New Orleans has a new Chairman
We welcome new leadership to our Board of Directors this year. Read more about our new Chairman, Tommie Vassel from nola.com here.

In the Spotlight on Issues and Faith
Sr. Marjorie and our new board Chairman Tommie Vassel were recently guests on Issues and Faith talking about our agency and the annual second collection weekend on February 8 and 9. You can rewatch the episode here.

Catholic Schools Show Their Hearts! This February 14th, Catholic Schools throughout our archdiocese held “Show Your Heart Day” for Catholic Charities. For a donation of $1, students got to wear their favorite red shirt to school to show their support for our ministries. Thank you to all the schools who enthusiastically participated this year! Check out more photos here.

St. Dominic School’s Show Your Heart Day!