Catholic Charities helped 33,645 people in Youngstown Diocese in 2015

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

With its 10 locations and 20 programs, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Youngstown served a total of 33,645 people in 2015. Catholic Charities recently completed the 2015 Catholic Charities USA annual survey.

The survey gathers information on programs, services, collaborative efforts, social-action initiatives, parish relationships, finances, personnel, volunteers and the implementation of mission-related activities.

Five institutions in the Diocese of Youngstown participated: the Catholic Charities administrative offices located in the diocesan chancery, including Catholic Charities Legal Immigration Services; Catholic Charities Housing Opportunities; Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County; Catholic Charities Serving Portage and Stark Counties; and Catholic Charities Regional Agency, which serves Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

All of the charities’ services in the diocese were delivered by a staff of 57 full-time and 23 part-time employees, an overall decrease of five full-time staff members from 2014. One hundred twenty-three volunteers contributed 12,900 hours of service last year, and an additional 35 people served on agency boards of directors.

The most significant diocesan fundraising endeavor is the annual Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church. This yearly campaign is conducted in all diocesan parishes.

Eighty-seven percent of Catholic Charities’ clients reported incomes below the federal poverty line, which was $24,250 for a family of four last year. Eighty-three percent of clients served qualified for some type of public assistance.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.