About Our COVID-19 Relief Fund 

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson's COVID-19 Relief Fund was created in March of 2020, to better support those in need during this critical time.   

We are helping more people than ever before in our 80-year history and your support is needed now, more than ever. 

Money raised for this fund will be restricted, and used toward:

Our Unmet Needs Fund and Food for our Food Pantries
Those in need are calling on Catholic Charities more than ever before.  Our vast organization helps those who are in crisis: survivors of domestic abuse, those who are endanger of becoming homeless, the working poor, the undocumented, people with nowhere else to turn who are falling through cracks. There are a large number of cases that fall outside of the broad scope of the welfare system.  We are there to help with hotel placement and short-term living solutions, while connecting those in need to longer term answers.  Our unmet needs fund specifically helps the poorest of the poor.  With more people facing fear and uncertainty, with your help we can actually assist more individuals in need.

On a typical month, our food pantries serve between 5,000 and 7,000 individuals.  In April, this number skyrocketed to 11,000; in May, this number went up again, to 21,000.  Your support of this fund will allow us to purchase food for our pantries and keep them stocked through the critical summer months. 

Recoup of Projected Event Fundraising Losses
Our organization is supported by event-based fundraising.  Our in-person June Wiegand Farm Golf Classic and our Fall in-person Caritas Gala have been cancelled.  These 2 events raise upwards of $200,000 combined each year.  In addition, Catholic Charities' clothing donation program is suspended and fewer service groups are gathering to give.   These fundraising events help support those in recovery, seniors, people with disabilities, Veterans, children, troubled families and so many more.   This allocation of funding would help keep our programs operational and thriving.

Innovation of our Existing Programs and Evolving our Operational Methodology 
We have been innovative within our programs to better meet the needs of those who we serve and have had to pivot our services.  New/increased services include bringing food to senior homes from our senior programs; offering virtual experiences for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including virtual learning, virtual song and virtual fitness; and video learning at our Early Learning Programs.  We hope to continue to adapt to the changing environment and offer services for those who are currently sheltering in place.   We anticipate state and federal budget cuts to our many important programs in the aftermath of COVID-19 and your support will make a great difference. 

Personal Protective Equipment and Increased Cleaning Services
Catholic Charities has over 800 staff members and helps thousands of individuals each week. Our main priority at this time is keeping everyone safe and stopping the spread of this terrible virus.  We have already purchased personal protective equipment and this has been a large unbudgeted expense.   We will need to purchase more masks, gloves, gowns, and sanitizer throughout the foreseeable future as we continue to persevere through this pandemic

Catholic Charities has over 40 buildings and facilities throughout 3 counties and remain operational.  We have increased our cleaning protocol to better protect the people who we serve and will need to continue to have enhanced  cleaning and disinfectant services throughout the forseeable future.  This has been a significant unbudgeted expense.

Restricting Donations to our COVID-19 Relief Fund 

• A particular agency: The Department for Persons with Disabilities, Straight and Narrow or Catholic Family and Community Services

• For a particular program: IE: Veterans, At-Risk Youth, Gruenert Center, Senior Programs, Mommy and Me Program at Straight and Narrow, etc.  (for a complete listing of our programs please click on the drop-down, our services link on this page)

• Or for a particular purpose: For food, for supplies, for PPE, etc.   

To Donate to Our COVID-19 Relief Fund, Please Click Here