Dear Friend of CCS/CHS,
In this special season of giving, I want to express my personal gratitude to faithful donors, staff, volunteers, and parish communities for “sharing the light of hope” with the poor and vulnerable neighbors in our sacred care. In my role over four decades of Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services (CCS/CHS) leadership, I see first-hand that poverty has a face, a voice, a name and that each soul we serve has a unique and complex story to tell. Take Yusef, a kind and gentle man who struggled with poverty and homelessness following a grim diagnosis of kidney failure.
Sharing Christ’s light of hope is our mission to those, like Yusef, left in the shadows because of poverty, illness, or discrimination. Every day, for 105 years, we have opened our doors to welcome the stranger with food, shelter, good counsel, and renewal of the previous gift of hope. Yusef acknowledged the help he received with these humble words of gratitude…
“It was by the grace of God that I fell into the right place. CCS really championed me!”
Yusef’s full story is shared here, but it is just one. Multiply his story by tens of thousands and you will begin to grasp the breadth of our profound mission of care for the poor. We are here because we believe in the worth of each story as if it were the only one. Even more, we believe that you will stand with us in prayer and generosity so that all these stories will end like Yusef’s, with strong, hope-filled outcomes.
“In a meek yet powerful way, the need for sharing with the poor is the path to a more human and fraternal world in which no one is excluded or marginalized.” Pope Francis
CCS/CHS Offer over 190 programs and services uniquely relevant to local needs in all 19 counties of western Washington, including:
- Basic human necessities of food, clothing, and emergency shelter;
- Transitional and permanent housing options for low-income individuals, families, veterans, farmworkers, and others;
- Pregnancy and parenting support for struggling young moms, dads, and their little ones;
- Assistance to communities of concern impacted by injustice, displacement, and poverty,
- Personal care services for aging and disabled neighbors to remain in the homes they love;
- Behavioral health services and addiction recovery care for children and adults.
With your support, the collective teamwork and wisdom of CCS/CHS staff and volunteers will continue to be vibrant, faithful, and “pretty amazing!” Our Appeal for the Poor is one time each year when the needs of the poor and our hearts can come together. Funds raised from this special request are critical dollars that fill the gaps for essential client services, such as those gratefully received by Yusef. Be assured that every dollar is precious, appreciated, and will have real and meaningful impact.
With gratitude for your support, and warm wishes that the light of hope will shine for all in our care and for you and your loved ones in this joyful season of giving, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Michael Reichert, President, CCS/CHS
