The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Honduras has been extended. Eligible families must apply for this extension by December 15, 2014 to be considered. The current extension will last for an 18 month period, from January 6, 2015 through July 5, 2016. Families may receive assistance with the re-registration process from Catholic Charities. For assistance, please call the office nearest you to set up an appointment with a BIA accredited staff member. Centro para Familias Hispanas, Raleigh 919-873-0094 Tar… Read More
Astrid started her yearlong AmeriCorps commitment with Catholic Charities in September. She helps with administrative duties at the front desk, family case support, and assisting clients with employment services. Below is her reflection on what her time at Centro La Comunidad has meant so far. When I knew I wanted to volunteer and be part of my community, Centro la Comunidad immediately came to my mind. Soon I realized that Centro la Comunidad was not alone, and that it was part of an even bigger organization throughout North Carolina, Catholic Charities. I… Read More
Maria Rau has been working as a student intern in the Fayetteville Regional Office since June. Maria has been providing clinical counseling to individuals, families, and couples. She has also been engaged in teaching Parenting Classes, as well as Family Case Management. Below is her reflection on what her time at Catholic Charities has meant to her so far. Completing my internship with Catholic Charities has provided me with an incredibly fulfilling and intellectually challenging experience. Being an intern with Catholic Charities is about so much more than applying knowledge; it… Read More
On Friday, September 19th, the summer session of the Language is the Key program at Centro para Familias Hispanas was completed. Language is the Key is a 10-session program in which parents help their children to develop language skills through the use of games and play time. One session is held each week and consists of a group of twenty parents and/or caregivers with children ages 0 – 5. Most of the children participating in this program are at risk of having limited language skills due to either their parent’s… Read More
On September 10, 2014, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh announced the appointment of Ms. Consuelo Kwee to a newly established position, Director of Immigration and Disaster Services. In this position, Ms. Kwee will be responsible for Catholic Charities services in three areas: legal immigration services, assistance to child immigrants seeking to be reunited with family members, and disaster preparation and recovery services. The new position was established to address clear needs in our community. While Catholic Charities has always been able to provide immigration and disaster services, “This… Read More
Many children are coming to the United States, specifically Texas, seeking family members who previously immigrated to this country. This has been extensively reported in various media. Below is an initial overview of the situation, how the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh is responding, and what the faithful can do to support the teachings of our Catholic Faith. Overview of the Current Situation Unaccompanied children from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are migrating to the United States in record numbers. While not a new phenomenon, the number of children who are… Read More
On Tuesday June 24th at the 2014 American Red Cross Triangle Chapter Annual Meeting, Catholic Charities was named “Community Partner of the Year.” Red Cross Regional CEO, Barry Porter, presented the award to Gary Skinner, Executive Director of Catholic Charities. Mr. Skinner shared his appreciation for this award, “Catholic Charities is thankful for this recognition by the Red Cross. We are also grateful for the generous support from Catholic parishioners and the Diocese of Raleigh which enables us to provide financial and emotional support to needy families at their most… Read More
The Raleigh/Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness (the Partnership) announced in April 2014, that Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh has been named as the lead agency to coordinate the community effort on the weekends to feed those experiencing low-income and/or homelessness in downtown Raleigh. It is anticipated that between 200 and 300 people will be fed breakfast, lunch and dinner each weekend. Starting on Saturday, June 14, 2014, Catholic Charities will be coordinating the churches and organizations involved in the distribution of food. (An official ribbon cutting… Read More
On Tuesday, June 3, 2014, more than 50 supporters of Catholic Charities attended its Canned Food Drive at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, home to the Carolina Mudcats baseball team. Each person who donated three cans at the gate received a coupon that saved them three dollars on their box seat ticket. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge helped collect cans at the main gate, then joined eleven seminarians inside the stadium as guests of the Carolina Mudcats. Under a partly cloudy sky, Catholic Charities Executive Director Gary Skinner got the evening… Read More
The 2014 Catholic Charities Gala, which was held April 26th at the Raleigh Marriott City Center, raised $190,000. The record-breaking amount is more than double what any single gala raised in previous years. Proceeds from the event will be used to serve those in need in 54 counties in eastern North Carolina. This year’s gala saw changes in format and a switch to formal attire. A silent auction was also added. Organizers noted that, while those changes certainly played a role, it was the generosity of donors that made 2014 a… Read More
