About Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is the national membership organization for the network of diocesan Catholic Charities agencies across the United States and its territories. Founded in 1910 as the National Conference of Catholic Charities, CCUSA supports 168–169 member agencies that collectively serve more than 15–16 million at-risk neighbors each year, regardless of faith or background. As the official domestic disaster relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church (commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1990) and a member of Caritas Internationalis, CCUSA focuses on service, advocacy, and convening to reduce poverty and uphold human dignity. Its ministry spans affordable housing, food and nutrition, integrated health, disaster relief, immigration services, workforce development, and foundational services from conception to natural death.
Mission
The mission of Catholic Charities is to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire Church and other people of good will to do the same.
- Founded
- 1910
- Founder
- Msgr. William J. Kerby, Msgr. John O'Grady, Bishop Thomas J. Shahan and the 400 Catholic charitable workers who gathered at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
- Leader
- Kerry Alys Robinson, President & CEO (since August 23, 2023)
- Reach
- 168–169 diocesan Catholic Charities member agencies in every state and U.S. territory, supported by more than 240,000 volunteers, staff, and board members across the Catholic Charities network; nationally headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.
- Serves
- People experiencing poverty and vulnerability in every corner of the United States and its territories, regardless of faith or background—including people without homes, the unemployed and underemployed, children who are hungry or malnourished, isolated elderly persons, vulnerable migrants and refugees, families recovering from natural disasters, pregnant women and new mothers in need, and persons with disabilities.
Mission and Vision
Catholic Charities USA articulates a three-part mission of service, advocacy, and convening aimed at transforming the social structures that contribute to suffering and injustice. The mission statement reads: 'The mission of Catholic Charities is to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire Church and other people of good will to do the same.' Its vision proclaims the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person by sharing in the mission of Jesus given to the Church, working with individuals, families, and communities to help them meet their needs, address their issues, eliminate oppression, and build a just and compassionate society. CCUSA staff implement Catholic social teachings through ethical practices grounded in the CCUSA Code of Ethics and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services.
- Service: direct programs through 168 member agencies serving more than 16 million people annually.
- Advocacy: engaging national policymakers on Capitol Hill and with the administration.
- Convening: bringing together the Church and people of good will to serve communities.
- Catholic identity rooted in Catholic social teaching and the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Our History
CCUSA traces its roots to a September 1910 gathering at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where nearly 400 clergy, lay and religious men and women, social workers, and academics founded the National Conference of Catholic Charities to be 'the attorney for the poor.' Msgr. William J. Kerby of CUA was selected as the first executive secretary, and the organization began publishing the Catholic Charities Review in 1917 with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Msgr. John O'Grady's 40-year tenure (1920–1961) saw the creation of diocesan Catholic Charities bureaus and a national voice for workers, families, and those who are poor.
- 1910: National Conference of Catholic Charities founded at CUA.
- 1916: Diocesan Directors Committee created within NCCC.
- 1917: Catholic Charities Review launched.
- 1920: Msgr. John O'Grady becomes executive secretary.
- 1923: A Program for Catholic Child-Caring Homes published.
- 1986: NCCC renamed Catholic Charities USA.
- 1987: Pope John Paul II addresses CCUSA's annual meeting in San Antonio.
- 1990: USCCB commissions CCUSA as the official domestic disaster relief agency.
- 2010: CCUSA celebrates its centennial.
- 2023: Kerry Alys Robinson becomes the second layperson and second woman to serve as president and CEO.
Leadership
Kerry Alys Robinson leads CCUSA as president and CEO, a role she began on August 23, 2023, after unanimous appointment by the CCUSA board. A renowned expert in Catholic leadership and philanthropy, Robinson is only the second layperson and second woman to guide the domestic humanitarian work of the U.S. Catholic Church. In December 2024, Catholic Extension Society honored her with the 2024 Spirit of Saint Francis Award for significant impact on the mission of the Catholic Church in America through service and philanthropy. She succeeded Sister Donna Markham, OP, Ph.D., who retired in summer 2023 after nine transformational years as president and CEO.
- Kerry Alys Robinson – President & CEO (since August 23, 2023).
- Sister Donna Markham, OP, Ph.D. – Immediate past president & CEO (first woman to lead CCUSA).
- Executive team and board published at catholiccharitiesusa.org/about-us/leadership.
What We Do – Priority Areas
CCUSA concentrates its work in eight priority areas that respond to the Gospel call to care for the least among us: Affordable Housing, Food and Nutrition, Integrated Health, Disaster Relief, Social Enterprise and Workforce Development, Immigration Services, Foundational Services, and Parish Engagement. Through these ministries, agencies walk with neighbors on paths out of poverty and toward brighter futures, upholding the inherent dignity of every person.
- Affordable Housing
- Food and Nutrition
- Integrated Health
- Disaster Relief
- Social Enterprise and Workforce Development
- Immigration Services
- Foundational Services
- Parish Engagement
Disaster Relief
Commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1990 as the official domestic disaster relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, CCUSA mobilizes a Disaster Response Team and local member agencies to deliver critical, immediate humanitarian support and long-term recovery aid. Services include shelter, meals, water, emergency funding, and disaster aid application assistance. In 2022, the network responded to 59 new disasters on top of 30 ongoing recovery efforts and distributed roughly $9 million in disaster aid to approximately 100,000 survivors.
- Mobile Response Center stocked with water, hygiene products, diapers, cleaning supplies, sleeping bags, and external power stations capable of charging up to 80 phones.
- Trailer fitted with washing machines and dryers for deployment.
- 400 Disaster Case Managers (DCMs) being trained through regional disaster response academies and dispatched via the CCUSA Disaster Response app.
- Disaster funds and grants totaling $1.9 million after deadly tornadoes and over $6 million across 75 grants in another year.
- Nearly $8 million in in-kind donations distributed in a separate year.
Immigration and Refugee Services
As the domestic charitable arm of the U.S. Catholic Church, Catholic Charities welcomes vulnerable migrants and refugees within the confines of the law, responding to the Gospel mandate of Matthew 25. The work is humanitarian, not political, and CCUSA has collaborated with every administration since 1910. Agencies welcome and integrate newcomers by offering food pantries and other essential services regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation, and CCUSA advocates for bipartisan, effective, humane immigration reform.
- Legal services and immigration case management.
- Refugee resettlement and integration support.
- Food, housing, and essential services for newcomers.
- Advocacy for border security combined with human dignity.
Affordable Housing
Catholic Charities agencies are among the nation's largest providers of safe, decent, affordable housing. The network maintains more than 38,000 permanent units for families, seniors, veterans, and others, in addition to temporary and emergency housing. CCUSA also provides housing gap loan funding to member agencies to expand capacity.
- 38,000+ permanent housing units across the network.
- Temporary and emergency housing programs.
- Housing gap loan funding through CCUSA.
Food and Nutrition
Catholic Charities provides healthy food options for those at risk of hunger through food banks and pantries, schools, child and adult daycare centers, summer lunch programs, group dining settings, and community farms. This work reaches children who are hungry or malnourished, families in crisis, and seniors facing food insecurity.
- Food banks and pantries.
- School-based and summer meal programs.
- Community farms and group dining settings.
Integrated Health
Through care for the whole person—physical, mental, and spiritual well-being—agencies offer integrated health services that support integral human development. Programs include counseling and mental health care, addiction recovery and support, case management, and caregiver support. The O'Grady Catholic Health Trust, guided by CCUSA, provides member agencies with high-quality, affordable healthcare benefits consistent with the Ethical and Religious Directives of the USCCB.
- Counseling and mental health services.
- Addiction recovery and support.
- Case management and caregiver support.
- O'Grady Catholic Health Trust.
Social Enterprise and Workforce Development
CCUSA supports investment in novel job-training programs and social enterprises that help people who are unemployed or underemployed move toward economic stability. Member agencies pair workforce development with wraparound services that address housing, food, child care, and other barriers to employment.
- Job training and social enterprise pilots.
- Wraparound services supporting employment stability.
Foundational Services
Foundational Services respond to clients' economic, social, cultural, personal, and spiritual needs from conception to natural death. Person- and family-centered services build on individual strengths and respond to evolving life needs, with programs that help those served—especially those living in poverty—reach their full potential.
- Family, pregnancy, and adoption programs (maternity care, parenting support, adoption, housing).
- Children and youth services (early childhood education, foster care, mentoring).
- Disability services.
- Criminal justice ministries (reentry, mentoring, employment, housing, family reunification).
- Senior programs (aging services, advocacy, case management, day programs, housing, caregiver support).
Parish Engagement
Catholic Charities partners with parishes to live out Catholic social teaching at the local level, recognizing that parish communities are vital hubs of encounter and accompaniment. Parish Engagement connects the social mission of the Church with the work of diocesan agencies.
- Convenings bringing together parishes and Catholic Charities agencies.
- Resources for parish-based social ministries.
Advocacy, Communications, and Research
CCUSA engages in conversation with national policymakers on Capitol Hill and with the administration, collaborating with other national organizations working in similar spheres. CCUSA also responds to national storylines that intersect with the work of member agencies and manages the organization's national reputation in times of crisis. Staff conduct an annual survey to report on the national impact of the Catholic Charities network and consult with agency leaders on their data needs.
- Federal policy advocacy on poverty, housing, immigration, and disaster relief.
- Annual national impact survey of the network.
- Crisis communications and reputation management.
Innovation and Convening
CCUSA creates opportunities for member agencies to launch innovative programming and services through joint grant applications and pilot programs that amplify strategic priorities—from investment in novel job-training programs and technology integrations to wraparound services and advancements in disaster response. CCUSA provides millions of dollars in financial assistance and in-kind donations each year, including joint grant opportunities, housing gap loan funding, and disaster relief support. Communities of Practice organize around common interest areas for professional development and resource sharing, and CCConnect, a digital community, centralizes communication among staff and agencies.
- Joint grant applications and pilot programs.
- Communities of Practice.
- CCConnect digital community.
- Annual Gathering and in-person meetings for leaders and staff.
- Site visits and learning sessions across the network.
Leadership Development and Talent
CCUSA invests in the formation of Catholic Charities leaders through the weeklong O'Grady Leadership Institutes, which explore ethical decision-making, racism and poverty, Catholic social teaching, and service within a pluralistic society. Agency leaders may pursue a Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management in partnership with the University of San Diego, emphasizing leadership and management skills unique to those in the Catholic Charities network. AmeriCorps VISTA members serve a year at CCUSA and member agencies, building capacity and helping to alleviate poverty through indirect service, and CCUSA supports talent acquisition through a consolidated job board.
- O'Grady Leadership Institutes.
- Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management (University of San Diego).
- AmeriCorps VISTA year of service.
- Consolidated national job board.
Get Involved
CCUSA invites people of good will to support the Catholic Charities network through giving, volunteering, advocacy, and professional engagement. Donations sustain disaster response, affordable housing, food programs, and immigration services nationwide. Volunteers serve locally through any of the 168 diocesan Catholic Charities agencies. Professionals can join Communities of Practice, pursue the Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management, or serve a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.
- Donate to CCUSA or a local diocesan Catholic Charities agency.
- Volunteer locally with a member agency.
- Advocate on federal policies that affect people in poverty.
- Attend the Annual Gathering and other convenings.
- Apply to O'Grady Leadership Institutes, Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management, or AmeriCorps VISTA.
Contact and National Office
The CCUSA national office is located in Alexandria, Virginia, and supports the 168 diocesan member agencies across the country. The office is led by a small staff of roughly 40–50 members who coordinate advocacy, disaster response, convening, communications, research, and member services for the broader network.
- Address: 2050 Ballenger Avenue, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314.
- Phone: (703) 549-1390; Fax: (703) 549-1656.
- Email: [email protected].
- Website: catholiccharitiesusa.org.
