Cat Kerr

Catholic Charities ministries hit the big screens displaying ‘awful bigness’ ideas

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Clyfford Still spent much of childhood thinking how the vastness of the lands surrounding him could offer plentiful resources to others. He later reflected on his experiences as a child that taught him to respect the “awful bigness of the land, the men and the machines.” As an expressionist abstract artist, he used these ideas … Read more

Celebrating Mother’s Day by Saluting the Courageous Women in our Ministries

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The courageous mothers who turn to Marisol Services for help have often exhausted their “fight or flight” responses. By supporting and re–energizing them, our team gives women a chance to recover from traumas they have faced and assist with medical care, material needs and emotional support. Together, we help them regain strength for the courageousness … Read more

Recognizing Child Abuse Awareness Month Agency-Wide

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As we wrap up Child Abuse Awareness month, Catholic Charities wants to recognize the importance of the month agency wide. By placing focus on collaboration and prevention services within all our ministries, we can help protect children and cultivate families’ dynamics.

Child abuse comes in many forms, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. It has a profound impact on a child’s life, leading to long-term emotional and physical consequences. Catholic Charities of Denver has taken action to raise awareness and prevent child abuse in all our ministries, with a focus on shelter services, Kinship, our program that connects caretakers raising children, Early Childhood Education programs, as well as Marisol Services, our comprehensive network including medical, housing and social services designed to meet the urgent and ongoing needs of women and families.

Agency wide, our ministries ensure the physical, emotional, and basic needs of a child are met. Marisol Counseling is a team of highly trained counselors offering at home visits for families that need that guidance within the home. Catholic Charities recognizes the impacts of generational trauma that many families have experienced and work with them to build foundational resiliency and reduce the amounts of toxic stress their children experience.

Earlier this month, children residing at Samaritan House placed blue pinwheels in the front lawn and enjoyed popsicles to celebrate resilience. Blue signifies the meaning of the cause, reflecting a tragic story of a grandmother in Virginia losing her grandchild to neglect. Staff members used this time to celebrate the courageous parents in our shelters who have gone above and beyond to protect their children.

“Providing year-round shelter at its core is a critical service to children and their families to address child abuse/neglect. Having a safe/stable environment adds a vital protective factor for the parent/guardian and child(ren) and allows the opportunity for access to address food insecurity, pediatric medical care, behavioral health support and respite to the family system,” said Executive Director of Denver Shelters, Orlando Padilla.

Through collaboration efforts, Catholic Charities of Denver hopes to raise awareness about the prevalence of child abuse and the importance of preventing it. By creating a culture of safety and support within our ministries, we are working to give children and families the resources they need to heal and thrive.

“Providing access/support and having one positive adult relationship in the child’s life changes the trajectory for the child and offers hope, as we build resiliency and break the cycle of generational abuse/neglect.” shared Padilla.

Samaritan House in Denver launches one of nation’s first shelter-based pediatric clinics

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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children experiencing homelessness are sick at twice the rate of children who have stable housing. To increase access to pediatric services, Catholic Charities of Denver’s Samaritan House has partnered with Every Child Pediatrics to provide on-site medical care. The integrated pediatric clinic is one of the first of its kind to be based out of a shelter for families experiencing homelessness in the country.

To commemorate the groundbreaking initiative, Samaritan House held a ribbon cutting and blessing event April 20 with speakers from Every Child Pediatrics, Colorado Access and Catholic Charities of Denver.

The project is part of a comprehensive approach that combines primary care and mental health services through screening, communication and coordination in a shelter-based environment. The clinic is open to families every Tuesday and Thursday. Since its launch in March, children from more than 40 families have been served.

Every Child Pediatrics provides wrap-around health care to every child living at Samaritan House, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Their team includes a certified pediatrician, advanced care practitioner and medical assistant and fulfills primary care needs for all children from newborns to teenagers. These services include a wide variety of medical care such as annual checkups, sports physicals, common illness relief and vaccinations. The Samaritan House Wellness Consultant team provides patients with mental and behavioral health services in a primary care setting.

One of the families utilizing the clinic is new to Colorado. It came as a relief to the parents when they learned that they wouldn’t have to worry about finding healthcare for their two boys and newborn baby. During their first appointment at Every Child Pediatrics at Samaritan House, they were able to get their children vaccinated and the team identified a developmental delay for their oldest son and started the process of getting him the extra care he needs.

“Everyone at the Samaritan House has been very helpful in caring for my boys. I am so appreciative for all you have done for us, and I am glad my boys have great doctors that really care,” shared the mom of the family.

Combined with case management, Samaritan House is working with the family to transition into housing soon and they are excited to have all three children continue care with Every Child Pediatrics in the community.

After a family finds permanent housing when they leave Samaritan House, they will be eligible to continue integrated pediatric services at other Every Child Pediatrics sites. Every Child Pediatrics offers high-quality, comprehensive health care to over 24,000 children across Colorado with providers specializing in managing health care needs for families who come from complex life circumstances.

“Families experiencing homelessness are facing an additional barrier of access to physical health care. By partnering with Every Child Pediatrics to provide on-site pediatric services, we are addressing several barriers including affordability, transportation, access and the common issues surrounding receiving care,” said Orlando Padilla, Executive Director of Denver Shelters at Catholic Charities of Denver. “Every Child Pediatrics has provided overall primary care needs to families that are currently residing at Samaritan House. This partnership will change the trajectory of a child’s life and engage them in preventative health care that they may otherwise not have access to.”

Catholic Charities and Every Child Pediatrics are grateful for the support from Colorado Access. The grant has allowed for program expansion and will actively contribute to evaluation activities in the future.

“Samaritan House has provided high-quality sheltering and programming services to individuals experiencing homelessness for nearly 40 years. It has reached a point in its journey to challenge the status quo and provide services that are all-encompassing of an individual’s health. Samaritan House will best serve our pediatric population by partnering with Every Child Pediatrics to continue to address all social determinants of health in a child’s life,” said Padilla.

Catholic Charities Partners with Fort Collins Natural Area to Preserve God’s Beauty and is Honored with the Great Horned Owl Award

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Since November 2021, Catholic Charities has adopted a natural area along the Poudre River better known as Gustav Swanson. With over 45 species of birds and dozens of other creatures flocking in the space, it has become a sanctuary for residents of Fort Collins and guests of Samaritan House Fort Collins, which is only one block away from the unique area.

Gustav Swanson Natural Area was dedicated in 1988, as a tribute to biologist, Gustav Swanson who, over many years, made the area more accessible to the community. Forty years later, the goal of making the area accessible to the entire community remains a top priority.

Historically, Gustav Swanson has not been adoptable due to challenges from the surrounding area. It is located between the shelters for men and women in Fort Collins and often has many hazards littered throughout the area.

In March 2023, Bethany Bray, Samaritan House Fort Collins’ Volunteer Coordinator, and the Catholic Charities of Larimer County team were honored with the Great Horned Owl Award (Rookie of the Year) for their efforts in maintaining the natural beauty of the area. The partnership has evolved since the beginning, with those residing at the shelter teaming up with staff and volunteers to take an active role in assisting in its clean up and maintenance. The mission of Catholic Charities is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to all life, including God’s creations in nature.

“In addition to helping maintain the natural beauty of the area, this has been an opportunity for our agency to lean into the seventh of our Catholic Social teachings, Care for Creation,” shared Joe Domko, former Regional Director. “It provides a wonderful opportunity to engage in discussions on the importance of taking care of our common home, while identifying he link between environmental degradation and human impoverishment.”

Catholic Charities Chaplain Father Bob Kelly, a Fort Collins native, offered the blessing at the kick-off clean up event back in 2021. He prayed for participants at Samaritan House and that the space may serve as a sign of God’s love for those needing it most.

Faces of Hope: Stefanie

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Stefanie struggled to re-enter the job market after surviving a period of homelessness triggered by the fleeing of an abusive relationship with her former husband who held the housing voucher for the apartment where they lived.

“I’ve struggled with alcohol and drug addiction since I was about eighteen. I’m doing a lot better now. I left a five-year marriage. He had a housing voucher that he won in a lottery that got us off the streets.”

When their voucher ran out, the couple had to search for another apartment.

“When we were looking for another place, it was almost impossible. They’d tell us: you’ve got to have a good credit score, pay a non-refundable application fee and have a monthly income three times the monthly rent.’ How’re you supposed to do that when you’re just barely hanging on?” said Stefanie.

“A lot of apartment complexes would judge us by the way we looked. My husband and I worked as an arborist and we both dressed in our work clothes, the only clothes we had.”

The couple eventually received another housing voucher that would hold them over for a few months. But with the domestic violence in the household worsening, Stefanie’s hierarchy of needs was in jeopardy once again. Stefanie’s husband had the voucher and that left her without a secure place to stay.

“I tried to get into a domestic violence shelter. But there were no beds available at the time. That’s how I ended up at Samaritan House.”

Catholic Charities of Denver’s Samaritan House provides single women with safe dorm beds, three nutritious meals and support services including case management, goal setting, holistic wellness, employment readiness, housing navigation, financial and life-skills classes and referrals to community resources. Stefanie’s been using these tools to heal from the traumas of domestic violence and receive housing of her own.

“My advice to someone in a situation like mine? You’ve got to want to be clean. Be patient. Be aware of your surroundings. Be careful. I learned that if you breathe and take it one day at a time, it’ll work out. Everyone deserves a chance at a normal life.”

Volunteer finds joy offering ESL classes to migrants at Samaritan House

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Patrick is a substitute teacher for Denver Public Schools who dedicates his Tuesday afternoons to bringing the art of the English language to migrants at Samaritan House. Since November of 2022, the influx of migrants from Spanish- speaking countries to Denver has brought about challenges. Patrick started the English as a Second Language classes at Samaritan House to alleviate the stressors of acclimating to a new culture.

Patrick starts off each class at Samaritan House the same. ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?) Each student has a different answer but it’s clear that the common goal is to succeed in a new country. With notebooks out and full attention shifted to the front of the room, students in this highly attended class are committed.

Week by week, the answers flow easier. Patrick ensures that each student is empowered to ask questions. He understands that learning something completely foreign can be uncomfortable. Patrick’s ability to help his students feel at ease comes from his background. His immigration work began about ten years ago when he volunteered with Casa de Paz, an organization that reunites families separated by ICE immigrant detention. Patrick’s career in teaching shifted, and he set out on a journey to help international students, refugees and immigrants learn the tools needed to navigate their new lives. He visited and advocated for immigrants incarcerated in Aurora as well as those facing deportation.

Since then, Patrick has volunteered with Catholic Charities as well as Lutheran Family Services to help Afghan families. Currently, Patrick works with Colorado Hosting Asylum Network (CHAN) supporting Venezuelan families. This endeavor led him to volunteer at Samaritan House teaching English as a second language.

“I believe that the ability to speak, read, write and use English is essential to succeed in the United States. Many immigrants face limited employment opportunities because they don’t speak English,” shared Patrick. “Currently, people are being exploited due to wage theft and contract fraud. Many times, this happens due to peoples’ immigration status and lack of English skills. The classes I teach stress basic communication skills to help people work and survive in the United States.”

Since the class began a few weeks ago, migrants living at Samaritan House use what they’ve been taught to communicate with shelter staff for basic needs. More importantly, it has brought about a sense of home to our new neighbors.

“My students are a delight and I enjoy my time with them immensely. They are engaged, motivated and appreciative of my efforts. Their commitment to learn inspires me and brings joy to my life,” said Patrick.

 

 

Knights of Columbus and St. Thomas More parish give record-breaking number of coats during record-breaking winter

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The state of Colorado experienced record-breaking temperatures from December 2022 to January 2023. Months prior, Tony Cenedella and the rest of the Knights of Columbus Council 10205 at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish in Centennial were busy collecting coats and other miscellaneous items in preparation for the cold snaps predicted by the Farmer’s Almanac.

The Knights began the program in 2009, as a way of distributing coats and winter clothing to kids in harsh climates, especially for families with children that were struggling financially. Since its inception, the program has handed out hundreds of thousands of articles of winter clothing and accessories to children coast-to-coast and Canada.

The operation has evolved to best suit the needs of the unhoused community during the winter months.

“It starts in my warehouse in September. St. Thomas More steps up to donate every week through September and October. We grab the donations to take to my warehouse, then we organize and bag up for distribution,” shared Cenedella. Regis Jesuit High School and Mullen High School students also team up to help the Knights with the organization process. “It is a blessing to come together as a community to help thousands of people every year. We certainly couldn’t do it on our own,” said Cenedella.

During this year’s drive alone, 1,816 items were donated to Catholic Charities. A dozen of our ministries and shelters have been given a cushion to clothe those in need. Tony Cenedella hopes to continue to grow in other cities and even states, to help with the need.

“It’s been such a joy to work alongside Tony, the Knights of Columbus and St. Thomas More on this extraordinary effort!” shared Mark Hahn, Catholic Charities Director of Parish and Volunteer Relations.

“Every year around November, I look forward to connecting with him, knowing that his and the Knights’ efforts provide so much warmth and compassion during our colder months. I am always so humbled by the sheer amount of quality coats, sweaters, and other winter wear collected through St. Thomas More.