July 2023

Catholic Charities' Daybreak Center homeless shelter is at full capacity nearly every night. People in distress at our Mobile Food Pantries pray for enough food, often to the point of tears. The soaring costs of rent, groceries, and utilities have pushed many families to make agonizing choices. Tragically, these struggles are unfolding during the summer months when donations are at their lowest.

August is Catholic Charities Month, a time when we unite to honor our shared values of compassion and service to those in need. We pray that you will join us in providing a gift that can extend a much-needed lifeline to the vulnerable members of our community. Your contribution will enable us to offer food, shelter, comfort, and hope to those who have been struggling to find stability and safety.

In the spirit of Catholic Charities Month, we appeal to your generosity and compassion to provide critical support and hope to those who need it most.

By supporting Catholic Charities, you become a beacon of hope for those in crisis.

We stand ready to respond with compassion and unwavering support. We call upon your generosity to stand with us during Catholic Charities Month and help us uplift those facing homelessness, hunger, and despair.

This year, as we raise funding to support our Back to School Fairs, donors have the opportunity to write a note of encouragement to a student. We tucked these special notes into the backpacks of children receiving supplies.

We were touched by the inspirational and emotional notes and wanted to share a few of them below.

"I hope you have a great year. Learn as much as you can so you can help make this better world. I will be praying for you."

"As a World War II Army Air Force vet, get as much education in many disciplines and it will not fail you."

"Dear Friend,

Growing up poor, my siblings and I rarely had decent food or clothing. We always struggled to obtain the needed school supplies. I hope this donation will help you to have a happy and productive school year."

Catholic Charities is offering a Caregiver Educational Series at the Kankakee Public Library (201 E. Merchant Street) from 2:00pm - 3:00pm on the following days:

• August 30: Finding Help and Accessing Services (presented by Amanda Foltz, Catholic Charities)
• September 6: Nurturing the Caregiver: The Power of Self-Care (presented by Emily Eikeland, Catholic Charities)
• September 13: Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors (presented by Hadi Finerty, The Alzheimer’s Association)
• September 20: The Legal How To’s: Guardianship of the Estate and POA of Property (presented by Deanna Carlson Webb, Attorney at Law)
• September 27: New Rules for End-of-Life Care (presented by Darla Savoie, Uplifted Care)

For more information or to register, please contact Amanda Foltz at 815-523-9919.

There are many volunteer opportunities available at Catholic Charities! Here are a few of the ways that you can give back to the community!

• Money Management Program volunteers are needed in Will, Kankakee, Grundy, and Iroquois Counties! These volunteers help clients with managing bills, balance checkbooks, and other money management support in clients' homes. To learn more, contact Sherri Funk, sfunk@cc-doj.org or 815-523-9921.
• Senior Companion Program volunteers in Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, and Will Counties! These volunteers (ages 55+) provide friendly visits to socially isolated adults. Activities may include chatting, reading books, playing games, or helping with limited errands. To learn more, contact Bry Williams at 815-933-7791 ext.9928 or bwilliams@cc-doj.org.
• Telephone Reassurance Program volunteers are needed in Grundy, Kankakee, and Will Counties! Volunteers connect with older adults through weekly phone calls that reduce social isolation and loneliness. Contact Crystal Del Rio at 815-221-6020 or trp@cc-doj.org.
• Foster Grandparent Program volunteers in Will County. Volunteers (55+) work with children at local schools and serve as role models, mentors, and friends to the students. Contact Mari at 815-724-1157 or americorpsseniors@cc-doj.org. 

Catholic Charities' Head Start Program in Will County is now enrolling children up to five years old and expectant mothers.

At Head Start, your family's well-being is our top priority. We're here to support every family member, ensuring safety, health, and access to educational advancement and economic mobility.

Find out if your family is eligible for Head Start services and let us help your children thrive.

Catholic Charities is the City of Kankakee Economic and Community Development Agency's Social Services Agency of the year 2023. We received this honor for our Horizons Joint Transitional and Rapid Rehousing Program and the Community Development Block Grant for public service. This award was received by Sarah Neill, Catholic Charities' Community Services Director for Kankakee, Iroquois, and Ford Counties.



We are so grateful for this honor!

Catholic Charities has job openings in Kankakee, Downers Grove, Joliet, Bolingbrook, Villa Park, and Crest Hill. Join our team!

Open positions include (but are not limited to): Early Childhood Teachers, Family Advocates, Therapists, Residential Homeless Services Case Workers, Parent/Child Educator, Doula, and more.

Ready for the next step in your career? click here.