Catholic Charities and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Denver

Mission

Our mission is motivated by the call to Christian charity: As the charitable arm of the Archdiocese of Denver, and inspired by God's love and compassion, Catholic Charities extends the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to the poor and those in need.

Our Work 

At Catholic Charities we see the face of Jesus Christ in everyone who comes to our door in search of safety, security, and hope. We welcome them with love and compassion. "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me ... Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Mt. 25: 37-40 

We recognize the intrinsic human dignity of everyone we encounter. At Catholic Charities we serve along a "Continuum of Care," addressing each family or individual's unique needs. We operate with a "hand-up" rather than a "hand-out" approach, helping people out of poverty and providing services that foster long-term goals and encourage independence. 

Here are just a few stories of the life-changing impact our agency has on the people we serve thanks to generous donors like you. 

Women's Services | A Mom's Journey to Independence 

In November of 2010, Tara and two of her children started a trek to regain independence, gathering what little they had for a stay at Marisol Homes, our temporary home for single women and children ... In the short span of her one month stay, Tara would build a tight community with five other women who moved in about the same time she did ... When Tara moved out and found independent housing, she stayed in touch with each of the five women and shared job and housing applications she’d seen around town.

To the other women, Tara was the epitome of success. But truth be told, Tara admits it was difficult to go back to living alone. She remembers getting a food box from Catholic Charities every week for a first few months, a sure sign that she wasn’t alone ... Twelve years later, Tara is working hard toward her bachelors degree in social work while raising five beautiful children. Her goal is to be an advocate for family unification with a focus on bringing diversity to the field. Tara’s success is our ultimate goal for every woman who enters our shelter.

Samaritan House | Veteran Finds Hope   

Howard is a Colorado native, proud Vietnam veteran and advocate of good children’s books. “I was a first-grade teacher,” Howard said outside Samaritan House downtown. “When I got out of Vietnam, I decided to become a teacher and so I went back to school.” Howard said he served in the military from 1971-1974. Afterward, he took advantage of a program that paid for his master’s degree in education while he also taught first grade students. He became certified in Oregon where he taught for 10 years before returning to Colorado.

“I was married and moved here and then things went south from there,” Howard said. He later lost his job and his marriage ended. He visits with his son, a daughter and grandchild, who live in the Longmont area. His residence is at Samaritan House, run by Catholic Charities of Denver, which offers shelter, nutritious food and extensive case management to help veterans like Howard find housing and stable income. He said he looks forward to finding a place of his own.

Early Childhood Education |  New Mom Gains Confidence  

Liliana said her greatest hope is keeping her family together.

She participated in Catholic Charities’ Early Head Start prenatal program and felt she had the help she needed.

“I think that in my personal experience, finding the possibility of belonging to the Catholic Charities’ program was a blessing in the process of (my) pregnancy,” she said. “Feeling that a person is welcomed as if they were (your) family is valuable and special…”

The program gives parents the confidence to prepare for the delivery of their baby, she shared. “It also gives moms the confidence and tools to face the challenges ahead,” Liliana said. She said she hopes to achieve economic stability to keep her family stable and secure.