Providing Help and Creating Hope

2022-2023 Annual Report

Click here to read our full Annual Report

RSVP Program

We are celebrating that 28% of Indiana residents make a formal commitment to volunteering. And even more people—52%-- make the time to informally help people in their communities. Whether formally connecting to an organization and having a regular schedule or informally checking on neighbors and providing help as needed, volunteering creates stronger communities.

For organizations, volunteers bring extra hands, brain power and enthusiasm which allows their programs to flourish and grow, serving more people in need.

For volunteers, physical and mental health benefits include lower mortality rates, lower rates of depression and anxiety, and increased life satisfaction and feelings of social connection. With intention, we can increase the impact of volunteering and keep strengthening our communities and ourselves.

If you volunteer:

Ask a friend, neighbor, or coworker to join you.
Consider adding other opportunities to help avoid getting burned out with your main commitment.
Know that your time, no matter how much time it is, makes a difference in someone’s life

If you aren’t volunteering:

Opportunities can be flexible: one-time, once a month, from home, in the community.
Organizations are happy to have you reach out to get details about their opportunities and see if your passions and goals line up with their missions.
Signing up to volunteer doesn’t mean that you can’t take time off.

Catholic Charities Indianapolis has many volunteer opportunities, including two specifically for people 55 and older: AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) and AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program. Monica Woodsworth, AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Director, invites anyone to reach out for a conversation about volunteering [email protected], 317-261-3378

Counseling

Thanks to our generous partnership with the Kendrick Foundation, our counseling program continues to provide Morgan County residents access to affordable mental health services. We recently received a $90,000 grant for mental health and case management personnel in Morgan County to serve more adults and children struggling to obtain diagnostic assessment, counseling, and referrals to community resources.

Our counseling program also began partnering with Schneck Healthcare to provide counseling services in Seymour. We are grateful for these partnerships that allow us to provide vital services in multiple communities.

Visit our website to learn more about our mental health services.

Immigration Program

In October, our Immigration Legal Services program hired a multi-lingual paralegal, Joseph Timogene, with funds from a Central Indiana Community Foundation grant that was awarded in August 2023. Joseph is Haitian and served as a volunteer before he was offered a paid position.

Immigration Legal Services opened 1,397 cases in the 2022-2023 Calendar year. This is very impressive, as there are only 4 staff members who handle cases. They wrapped up a Naturalization Grant, having assisted 153 people in applying for their citizenship. These clients were charged zero dollars for their legal fees and over half of them also qualified for a fee waiver from the United States Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS).

The Immigration program hosted 5 clinics this year, assisting clients in applying for Naturalization, Temporary Protected Status, reparole, and work permits. These clinics were held at the Catholic Center, St. Lawrence, and St. Michael. For more information on the Immigration program, visit www.archindy.org/cc/refugee/immigration-home.html

Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala

Date: Friday, February 9, 2024

Time: 5:30pm

Location: JW Marriott Indianapolis, Grand Ballroom

Details: This event supports Catholic Charities, Catholic Schools and Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary. Join us for dinner and open bar, awards, auction, music from The Bishops! To sponsor or purchase tickets visit www.archindy.org/LegacyGala. If you are a young adult (18-39), take advantage of our special pricing. Auction items are also needed. Contact Cheri Bush for more information., [email protected] or (317) 236-1411

Catholic Charities Indianapolis Simple Soup & Bread Luncheon

Date: Thursday, March 28

Location: The Catholic Center

Details: Join us for our annual Holy Thursday Soup & Bread Luncheon to benefit the Crisis Office. Click here for more information

Caregiver Support Groups:

Support groups for caregivers of older adults. The groups are not disease specific. Registration required. Contact Monica at [email protected] or 317-261-3378. If you are not able to attend, feel free to call for caregiver information.

3rd Tuesday from 5:30pm - 7pm at St Jude Catholic Church, 5375 McFarland Road.

3rd Thursday, from 1:00pm - 2:30pm at the Catholic Center, 1400 N Meridian St.

Interested in making a charitable gift that

also pays you income for life?

A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) provides you or a loved one with fixed income payments for life, and remaining funds provide a legacy gift to your favorite parish, school or Archdiocesan ministry upon your passing. There’s no better time in invest in a CGA as the payout rates are at their highest level in more than a decade! As the donor, you receive an immediate income tax deduction and possible capital gains benefits. You must be 60 years old to create a CGA, however, if you are 70 ½ or older, you may be able to establish a CGA with assets from your IRA through a qualified charitable distribution.

To learn more about how you can receive fixed income for life, and help your favorite Catholic charity, please contact [email protected] or call 317-236-1482.

Support Catholic Charities Endowments

Supporting a Catholic Charities endowment shows your long-term investment in our mission of providing help and creating hope for those in need. By establishing an endowment through the Catholic Community Foundation, or contributing to an existing endowment, you are helping to ensure a sustainable source of funding for generations to come. Every donation, regardless of size, propels us towards a brighter future. Here is a list of endowments that support Catholic Charities Indianapolis programs:

-Catholic Charities: #600-0205

-Holy Family Shelter: #602-0154

-St. Elizabeth Coleman: #270-0240

Click here to support our endowments and be a catalyst for positive change. When donating using this secure online form, you will need to fill in the appropriate fund # from the list above.