Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the January 13, 2005 edition of the Inland Register)

The holiday season has passed, but the needy remain. The appeal continues for Catholic Charities’ Christmas Collection, the primary source of funding for all of Catholic Charities’ 12 programs.

At the present time, Catholic Charities has raised $517,802.15 toward its 2004 Christmas Collection goal of $675,000. Gifts have been received from 3,599 people.

Though these numbers are promising, donations are currently down $27,217.42, and 320 donors, compared to this date last year.

Donors who have not yet responded will receive a reminder letter in the next week.

“We are grateful to every donor who has supported our Christmas Collection,” said Donna Hanson, Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities. “While we are encouraged by their generosity, Catholic Charities needs the support of many others in order to reach our goal.

Catholic Charities depends on the annual Christmas Collection for its entire operating budget. Since the organization is separately incorporated from the Diocese of Spokane, it receives no money from the Annual Catholic Appeal.

Traditionally, about 13 percent of the Christmas Collection donors are not affiliated with a Catholic parish.

Catholic Charities spends just 4 percemt of the total Christmas Collection on postage, printing and advertising. The rest of the money goes directly to the programs that provide food, shelter, clothing, and counseling.

For 90 years, Catholic Charities has served the hungry, homeless and hurting who need assistance through various programs, including the House of Charity, St. Margaret Shelter and St. Anne Children and Family Center. Last year, the charity assisted over 44,000 people throughout Eastern Washington.

An example of someone who is helped by Christmas Collection donations is Cybele, who was pregnant and had nothing the day she ran away from an abusive relationship.

“I didn’t realize how isolated I’d become. I needed the support of other women,” she says. She found that support at St. Margaret Shelter, where she learned to break behavior patterns she hadn’t even recognized. Now in Catholic Charities-sponsored housing, Cybele has resumed the artwork she loves.

Catholic Charities has four special priorities for 2005:

• To expand the wintertime sleeping program at the House of Charity;
• To complete enrollment of 200 children in childcare and integrate family support services at the new St. Anne Children and Family Center;
• To strengthen parish partnerships throughout the Diocese with communication, education, and collaborative projects; and
• To provide service-enriched apartments for families, persons with disabilities, farm workers, and seniors throughout the Diocese.

Independently rated by Charity Navigator as a Four Star Charity, donations may be mailed directly to Catholic Charities Christmas Collection, P.O. Box 1453, Spokane, WA 99210-1453, delivered to Catholic Charities’ offices on the first floor of the Catholic Pastoral Center, W. 1023 Riverside Ave. in downtown Spokane, or on-line at http://www.catholiccharitiesspokane.org.