Serving all people throughout northeast Wisconsin for more than 100 years.
As Missionary Disciples, Catholic Charities labors in our communities inviting and serving those who have often been left out or felt alone to know and experience the tremendous and abundant love of God through his son, Jesus Christ. Faithful to the teachings of the Church in the areas of social justice, we stand with the poor, advocate for life, and break down barriers of injustice.
Our Service Areas
Adoption & Pregnancy Support Services - Our mission is to help expectant parents create adoption or parenting plans that respect and celebrate their decision to choose life. We are also there to provide supportive services to biological parents for as long as services are requested. People want to adopt for different reasons, often having struggled with infertility for a time or coming to a point where they want to provide a nurturing, permanent home to a child. Our staff assist prospective adoptive parents with every step in the domestic or international adoption process from assessment and approval through post-adoption.
Mental Health Counseling - When life has become overwhelming and thoughts turn dark, many individuals have turned to our counseling program, which provides professional individual, family, and marriage counseling. We're one of the few agencies in the area that provides counseling services to those lacking insurance, providing a sliding-fee scale to the uninsured or underinsured. Our professional counseling services with State of Wisconsin licensed social workers and counselors are offered in person, virtually, or via phone.
Financial Health Services - Many individuals and families in our community struggle with finances. Through our Financial Health program, our clients are given tools to improve their financial situation, pay off debt, and achieve their financial goals. We also help those struggling with affordable housing, maintaining an apartment, purchasing a home, preventing foreclosure, or navigating bankruptcy. Finances can be stressful and complicated - we are here to guide you every step of the way.
Immigrant & Refugee Services - We are called to welcome the stranger. Refugee families become engaged in our services through the resettlement process and receive support services to help them become self-sufficient. We offer case management and service coordination with community partners to meet basic needs such as school enrollment for children, medical/dental visits, housing and resource coordination, employment assistance and cultural orientation. Our Immigration Services program is accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice and offers initial consultations and application assistance with family reunification, naturalization, permanent residency, employment authorization and more.
Social Ministry & Community Outreach | Human Life & Dignity Advocacy - We focus on bringing services to both rural and urban areas, working with parishes in times of crisis, and cooperating with other non-profit organizations in each of the 16 counties in the Diocese of Green Bay, to build a network of resources for those in need. Through education, advocacy, collaboration, and communication, we work to address the systemic issues that contribute to injustice in our society and to be a voice for those whose voices are often silenced. We carry out this work grounded in the love of Jesus Christ, following the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Community Report - What We've Been Up To!
As Catholic Charities reflects on this past year, there is one thing we can be absolutely confident of, and that is our ability to make an impact. We joyfully served 8,500 individuals through direct service and outreach and continue to build strong relationships with parishes and community partners, bringing valuable programs to areas with limited resources.
One key group we have focused our attention on this past year is mothers, and fathers, who face unplanned pregnancies. Following the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the staff of Catholic Charities, along with various Diocesan offices and community partners, were well prepared to continue educating the public on pro-life options.
"Walking with Moms in Need," an initiative launched several years ago by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is one such option.
Walking with Moms in Need is a process through which Catholic parishes and communities "walk in the shoes" of pregnant and parenting women, finding and sharing local resources. Area parishes participating in the process were provided yard signs displaying a 24-hour hotline number for calling and texting. Parish office staffs were also educated to walk with women visiting the parish by recommending resources in their local areas.
Another visible initiative is the billboard and social media campaign highlighting Catholic Charities adoption services which began running in May in Antigo, Marinette and Manitowoc. This campaign also utilizes a phone number to call or text, linking women directly to Catholic Charities Child and Family Services. Providing the support and resources to help walk alongside men and women whether they choose to parent or create an adoption plan for their child, remains true to our Catholic teaching on the dignity and value of every person.
The retooling of Catholic Charities' mental health counseling and the introduction of a telehealth site in Lakewood has us focusing in areas of tremendous need. The need for mental health services has increased significantly in the past several years and our staffing has grown to meet this need. Through a telehealth access point at the Lakes Country Public Library in Lakewood, individuals can receive mental health, child and family, financial health, immigrant and refugee, and social ministry and community outreach services virtually without worrying about not having access to an internet connection.
Without the support provided by so many friends of Catholic Charities, we could not deliver these life-giving services. The hope, compassion, healing and love poured out to those among us in greatest need is a testament to the hard work of agencies like Catholic Charities as well as the good people of Northeast Wisconsin.
Thank you for being the heart and hands of Jesus as we walk these often difficult journeys with our neighbors in need. May God bless each of you for your financial and spiritual support of this ministry in the Diocese of Green Bay.
