Caring for the Poor

Established in 1914, Catholic Charities makes real the love God has for each individual regardless of their faith or background.

The establishment of an endowment to maintain and extend our presence throughout the Diocese of Toledo, and a capital investment to renovate our Helping Hands of St. Louis facility are integral to the accomplishment of our mission to make real the love of God through service to those in need.

Broadening Services to the Spiritually and Physically Impoverished / $5,000,000

Our diocese represents a vast geographic area that serves an immensely diverse community. Catholic Charities currently has office locations in Toledo, Norwalk, Sandusky, and Mansfield, and provides diocesan-wide pro-life, Project Rachel, and jail and prison ministries. While the offices provide immediate services and ministries to Lucas, Richland, Huron, and Erie counties, the lack of coverage in all 19 of the diocesan counties creates an opportunity for expanded services and new locations. Over the last decade, the number of individuals in need of the services Catholic Charities provides (food, clothing, shelter, rent and utility assistance, furniture, jail and prison ministry, and case management) has more than doubled from 20,000 to 45,000 annually. Supporting existing ministries and broadening our outreach throughout the diocese by establishing a presence in as many communities as possible, urban and rural, will be a step in the right direction toward helping and serving more people.

Support for Helping Hands / $3,000,000

Located just east of downtown Toledo, Helping Hands of St. Louis serves low-income and homeless families and individuals. This ministry serves as a direct lifeline for families and children who are in need of food, clothing, and heartfelt care. To ensure that the thousands who receive these services can continue doing so in a dignified way, capital improvements must be made to the existing campus including:

• Demolition of the existing food center and building a new one at a suitable site

• Renovations to the existing clothing center