Social Services
“Jesus keeps knocking on our doors in the faces of our brothers and sisters, in the faces of our neighbors, in the faces of those at our side.”
~ Pope Francis at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington in September 2015
Catholic Charities was founded in 1922 and continued its outreach through the Great Depression and World War II. Now in the new millennium, it remains the largest nongovernmental provider of social services in the Washington metropolitan area.
Catholic Charities by the Numbers
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington
142,715 men, women and children served in 2017
2,568 programs who provide shelter for the homeless, food for the hungry, job training for the unemployed, pro bono health care and legal services for the poor, assistance to immigrants and refugees, and services for people with developmental disabilities.
Volunteers Support Those in Need
5 million meals distributed to those in need & more than 1.1 million pounds of food provided to local pantries
6,846 volunteers contributing 112,667 hours of volunteer service
49,000 people serviced by Catholic Charities’ enterprise, education and employment programs
15,274 people recieved warm, nutritious meals from Saint Maria’s Meals
34,460 people were able to buy nutritious, affordable food through the agency’s SHARE Food Network
Dental, Legal, Housing and Disability Services
3,707 low income residents received pro bono legal services through Catholic Charities’ Legal Network
4,146 patients made nearly 14,000 visits to Catholic Charities’ dental clinics in Washington, D.C., and Maryland
1,5000 beds provided to homeless men, women and children each night
12,287 people assisted by Catholic Charities’Homeless and Housing Services programs
891 adults and children helped through Catholic Charities developmental disabilities programs
1,116 people received information and referrals from the prison ministry outreach of Catholic Charities
Spanish Catholic Center By the Numbers
7,000 patients served by the Spanish Catholic Center’s medical and dental clinics
2,000 job seekers referred to stable employment with local businesses
427 students learned Enlgish through the center’s classes
70,213 pounds of food distributed to 775 clients
60 low-income clients were enrolled in the center’s Green Construction Program
168 monthly job readiness workshops