As Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh continues its critical role in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, staff members reflect on their recent deployments to East Tennessee, where they collaborated with local agencies to help hurricane survivors. In October and November, three staff members from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh traveled to East Tennessee for rotating two-week deployments as part of the Staff Assistance Program coordinated by Catholic Charities USA. Most recently, Fayetteville Region Program Director Vicky Jiménez and Cape Fear Region Disaster Specialist Vickie Sasser, who brought… Read More
For people working in disaster preparedness, “blue sky” days are a vital opportunity for communities to build preparedness and improve resiliency before the next disaster. In emergency disaster work, “blue sky” refers to non-disaster periods and “gray sky” is the time around an incident, such as in 2016 for Hurricane Matthew and 2018 for Hurricane Florence here in North Carolina. Catholic Charities Communications and Disaster Services Director Daniel Altenau said, “Each disaster teaches us valuable lessons and we know the question is when, not if, another storm will impact our… Read More
On Saturday, May 18th, supporters of the Durham Community Food Pantry, a program of Catholic Charities, gathered for an evening of festivities at “Nourish & Flourish: Celebrating 5 Years of Caring for Our Neighbors.” The intimate evening was dedicated to reflecting on the impact and success of the food pantry over the past five years. Lisa Perkins, Catholic Charities CEO, welcomed guests with a heartfelt message, highlighting the program’s remarkable achievements. “We have served over 266,000 individuals since our doors opened five years ago!” she proudly announced. The success of… Read More
CBS17 recently sat down with Chief Executive Officer Lisa Perkins to discuss rising food prices and the work Catholic Charities is doing to fight hunger. Check out their story here.
With a hint of Summer’s intense heat already piercing North Carolina, the Catholic Charities (DOR) Cape Fear Regional team is preparing to protect our neighbors, who work or live outside in the extremely hot temperatures of the South. In 2023, Regional Director Emilie Hart began focusing on heat-related dangers facing people who work outside after learning of a fatal incident involving farm workers. “Last year we heard that two farmworkers died of dehydration. We responded by setting up at the migrant Head Start with waters, liquid IVs, and hydrating produce… Read More
The Durham Community Food Pantry (DCFP), a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh, plays a vital role in the community, distributing over 1.8 million pounds of food annually to neighbors in need. Through a Traditional Food Pantry model in Durham County and a Mobile Food Pantry model in Orange County, the DCFP serves as a lifeline for many struggling families. Recently, the DCFP became a TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) distribution site. This federal program, designed to supplement the diets of individuals meeting income standards in… Read More
With a family history of service intertwined with a legacy of giving, Kitti Hardison is deeply rooted in helping her neighbors. From her grandmother to her mother, the spirit of service runs through generations. It’s a culture that led her to the helm of the Catholic Charities New Bern Regional Office as its new program director. “There’s always been a tie to Catholic Charities as well as to the other non-profits in New Bern. It’s just been a natural fit,” said Hardison. In a conversation with Catholic Charities Sr. Communications… Read More
Volunteers are the heart and soul of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh, and we proudly highlight the time, talent, and treasure they generously share with our communities. During National Volunteer Appreciation Week and every week, we celebrate our volunteers with gratitude and reflect on the countless ways they touch the lives of our neighbors in need. Our volunteers truly live out the mission of Catholic Charities… “Providing help to our brothers and sisters in need by alleviating the effects of poverty and creating hope by developing solutions to… Read More
The sunny Raleigh skies shined bright for the 12th Annual Pig Pickin’ hosted by Catholic Parish Outreach Food Pantry on Saturday, April 6th. The event saw 350 people gather for good BBQ and live bluegrass music. The event was a resounding success, raising over $30,000 for the pantry. These funds will play a vital role in ensuring that families across Wake and Johnston counties have access to essential food resources. Program Director Kelly Rappl expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support: “Last year, over 73,000 people received food assistance from Catholic… Read More
On Wednesday, April 3, 2024, Centro para Familias Hispanas received accolades from Wake County Child Welfare during the 9th Annual Pastries and Prevention Tea. This event served as a platform to celebrate the commendable efforts of nonprofits across Wake County dedicated to fostering nurturing home environments where children can flourish, shielded from abuse. Gathering nonprofits under one roof, the event spotlighted organizations engaged in “upstream” work, addressing protective factors pivotal in averting child abuse. Centro para Familias Hispanas stood out prominently, receiving the award for Parental Resilience, in recognition of… Read More
