Catholic Charities Year in Review

As a new year approaches, we reflect on 2020. COVID-19 has reshaped our world. We have all experienced personal loss. The most vulnerable in our society have been most impacted by this crisis. Like always, Catholic Charities has persevered on. Our board of trustees, employees, volunteers and benefactors have been beacons of hope throughout this most challenging year.

It is always difficult to find the words in how we can best express our gratitude for the truly humbling way you have supported Catholic Charities. We cannot thank you enough your support during this unprecedented time. Together, and in spite of a global pandemic, we accomplished some amazing things:

• In August of 2019, we experienced a devastating fire at Straight and Narrow in Paterson. Thanks to the bravery of first responders, all lives were saved and no one was hurt. We relocated those being treated at the destroyed facility, and throughout 2020 have begun to plan for the future. The overarching goal is to establish a comprehensive campus like setting to best accommodate our daily client and operational needs. We hope to rebuild or  the 50 bed male halfway house, warehouse space, clinical office space, pastoral care services and related multi-purpose room, a medical inpatient withdrawal management unit, admissions department, outpatient treatment services and food services center. On August 7th, Bishop Sweeney presented Catholic Charities with $319,000 check towards rebuilding costs, made possible through the Bishops Annual Appeal. While COVID-19 has impacted some of our rebuilding efforts, we hope to host a ground-breaking event in the summer of 2021.  

• Our 2020 began in celebration of the people we serve and those who make a difference in their lives. In January, we held our Dunk for Disabilities Fundraiser at Jefferson Township High School, a night in which young people celebrate all abilities. Later, we celebrated the Feast of the 3 Kings, giving back to those in our Youth at Risk Program. Large-scale events held later in the year, all moved to a virtual format.  On Veterans Day, we honored those who have served our country and the many why make a difference in their lives at our Stakeholders Awards presentation.  We give thanks to our many community partners who help us support our Veterans. Our Wiegand Farm Golf Classic, Caritas Gala, and Outdoor Memorial Mass, were all held virtually in the fall.  We hope to bring all of these events back in some capacity in 2021. 

• Martin Luther King Jr. once said “faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”  2020 was a year in which social and racial justice issues were brought to the forefront. At Catholic Charities, Paterson, we worked alongside Catholic Charities USA to create a Justice Committee; a board reporting committee consisting of board members and staff to discuss issues of inequality and create actionable items for change.

• The Department for Persons with Disabilities Fight for the Right Group remained hard at work to support those in need. Fight for the Right is DPD’s community service group who happens to consist of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Early in the year he group supported Benny’s Bodega to provide basic necessities to families struggling to get by and worked alongside Senator Kristin Corrado in a Socks for Soldiers event supporting Veterans. They also made a presentation and sent thank you letters & cards to those working tirelessly during the pandemic, made a "Stop the Spread" photo collage that was aired during one of Governor Phil Murphy's briefings, created post cards to honor the veterans that visit the Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson's Veterans Clothing Closets and donated Thanksgiving food to our food pantries. Through COVID-19, the group stayed engaged with admirable projects from home. Thank you to volunteer Jenn Minervino for her guidance and support. In June, the group was honored by the Morris County Chamber of Commerce with a Not-For-Profit Excellence Award at their annual conference.

• 1,000 guests joined the Murray Family and the Department for Persons with Disabilities Family at the 50th Annual Murray House Dinner Dance held on February 16th at the Brownstone. This event was one of the largest nonprofit galas ever held at this venue, and the largest event in Catholic Charities, Paterson history.

 

• Through 2020, we continued to strengthen our partnership with Catholic Charities USA. In February, Catholic Charities USA Vice President Brian Corbin visited Paterson to lead our organization in a strategic planning session. This was the first of such planning sessions, that brought leadership from all of our programs and each of our 3 agencies together. This session will help guide the future of Catholic Charities as we strive to help more of our sisters and brothers in need. 

• In March, we were featured on PBS’ One on One with Steve Adubato, alongside the Summit Medical Group Foundation and the Community Foodbank of New Jersey. Throughout the year, we were also highlighted on NBC News 4 New York, NJ.com, News 12 New Jersey, the National Catholic Reporter, Telemundo, Univision, America Magazine, and have been mentioned twice by Governor Phil Murphy at his daily press conference.

• Suddenly, in March our world changed, as COVID-19 entered our country, state and communities.  Catholic Charities never closed.  Our doors remained open to help those most vulnerable. Our brave staff were on the front lines to provide help and create hope for those most in need.
  • We experienced personal losses, including family members of employees, volunteers, and friends. Beloved Department for Persons with Disabilities volunteer, Martin Addison died on April 29th at just 44 years old. We continue to pray for Martin’s family and all of those impacted by COVID-19.
  • We have worked to keep our service recipients and staff safe at our residential programs and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. We have tested regularly, practiced social distancing, enhanced and increased cleaning protocols, and have set up quarantine sites. The battle with this deadly virus is far from over, and we will continue to be diligent.
  • We have helped more people than ever before in our 80-year history. We have given out over 1.5 million pounds of food (out of our 3 food pantries: Fr. English, Paterson; Hope House, Dover; and Partnership for Social Services, Franklin) and over $2.5 million in emergency support to those most in need. In November, we helped more people than any other month before, giving out food to 26,500 children, women and men.
  • Individual donors, foundations, and businesses helped raise over $500,000 for COVID-19 relief to purchase PPE, give out food, provide emergency support and help our programs adapt to a changing world.
  • We have pivoted many of our programs to provide support safely, efficiently and to help more of our sisters and brothers in need. Non-essential staff have been working in a hybrid fashion, our food pantries have delivered food to seniors and those who are homebound, our Early Learning programs, at-risk youth programs, and DPD Gruenert Center are virtual, and we have worked with our Catholic Charities partners from around the state to provide crisis counseling to those emotionally impacted by this pandemic.

• On July 1st, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was ordained as the 8th Bishop of Paterson. We were proud to welcome Bishop Sweeney with open arms and give thanks to Bishop Emeritus Serratelli for his many years of leadership. Bishop Sweeney has been kind, active and supportive of Catholic Charities, visiting nearly all of our programs, meeting many of our staff and service recipients, and attending our board meetings.

• On August 26th, the campus at the Governor Paterson Towers was renamed the Rev. Msgr. Herbert K. Tillyer Campus for Senior Living.  Monsignor Tillyer is our current Board President and the only person to serve on the board for each of our 3 agencies. The Governor Paterson Towers provide support for senior citizens, many of whom are assisted by Catholic Charities.

• Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson, continues to offer our support to our sisters and brothers from around the country. In September, upon hearing about the devastation in Louisiana due to Hurricane Laura, we sent 4 staff members to Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana to lend a helping hand with recovery efforts.

• Over Thanksgiving and Christmas, we helped feed over 7,000 families and gave out over 5,000 gifts, mostly to children. We are thankful and appreciative to the many who contributed to make this possible!  

Thank you for helping us provide help and create hope for those most in need. We are looking forward to a 2021 filled with healing, growth, and impact. We wish you a happy and healthy New Year!  

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To donate to Catholic Charities please visit:  www.ccpaterson.org/donate.