The mission of Catholic Charities is clear: to serve anyone in need, particularly those hardest hit by poverty. In Milwaukee, where rents have surged, Catholic Charities is helping people navigate the complex processes involved in securing housing.
The team also provides a network of programming in mental health, pregnancy and parenting support, refugee and immigration services, and more. “People often tell us, ‘I’ve made 30 calls, and you’re the only ones who answered,’” says Susan Howland, the director of community outreach.
For people like Timothy, working with Catholic Charities is life-impacting. After losing his home and family to a tragic house fire, Timothy spent six years alone in a shelter, making calls to many organizations for help without success. Catholic Charities responded, helping him apply for senior housing, handling forms and online submissions he was unable to fill out himself.
In just a few weeks, Timothy received life-changing news: he had a new home. “The day he signed his lease, he was so happy,” his case worker recalls. “He couldn’t stop smiling as he talked about hanging pictures on the wall.”
“There are so many of the people, whether they’re working or receiving a disability or Social Security check, that are barely scraping by,” says Howland. “They just can’t afford one more hit. From 2023-24, rent in Milwaukee went up 6.5%, and that’s on top of all the other times it went up. I would say it’s dire.”
For those who’ve faced countless rejections, a listening ear and dedicated case worker can mean the difference between continued anguish and a safe and healthy future. Through generous community donations, the organization also provides essentials – hygiene products, bus passes, housing application assistance – to help people like Timothy and their families rebuild their lives.
What We Do
- Catholic Charities provides social services for individuals and families affected by poverty. It provides culturally and linguistically competent services with dignity and respect for people of any religious background living in the 10 counties of Southeastern Wisconsin.
- This charitable organization helps people who have no other support system. It cares for the well-being and stability of people with low or no income. These are individuals who are experiencing emotional or financial crisis, are pregnant or are new parents, are seeking to adopt a child, are refugees and immigrants, or older adults and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Where Your Money Goes
- Donations are used to fund counseling and care management services, quality legal services for refugees and immigrants, and services to assist pregnant women, seniors and adults with disabilities. These services are provided at no cost for people with low or no income.
Catholic Charities
PO Box 070912, Milwaukee, WI 53207-0912 | 414-769-3400
ccmke.org
