April 2024 Newsletter

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

April is National Volunteer Month! We are grateful for the wonderful volunteers and interns who walk alongside those we serve at Catholic Charities. Each volunteer embodies the Spirit of the Good Samaritan, donating their time to serve others with kindness and dignity.

Volunteers are instrumental to our success, and we recognize the remarkable value they add to our agency. Last year alone:

Arizona Gives to Veterans, Children, and Families in Need

Thank you for your support during Arizona Gives Day! With your help, we raised $44,936, and we have a very special supporter who has pledged to match every gift! These funds will help veterans experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, families fleeing violence, and more.

Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation Ensures Veterans are Safe

We are beyond grateful for the support of the Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000 and their recent $5,000 donation to Catholic Charities’ MANA House (Marines, Army, Navy, Airforce), our transitional housing program for veterans experiencing homelessness. The Foundation’s mission is to promote charitable giving and provide support for community-based projects and programs.

At the awards dinner last month, Bob Phillips, Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000 Board President, presented the check to Wendy Owens, Catholic Charities Resource Development Manager, alongside Dr. Honora Norton, past Catholic Charities Board Chair/Emeritus Board Member, and Victoria Flatley, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes President, pictured above left to right.

Thank you to the Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000 for this generous donation that will support the installation of a safety communication system at MANA House, and a special thank you to our Emeritus Board Member, Dr. Honora Norton, for her longtime support and commitment to the mission of Catholic Charities!

Intern Embodies the Next Generation of Good Samaritans

Elizabeth always had a desire to help people but wasn’t sure how this would fit into her future. She enrolled at Northern Arizona University in hopes of pursuing social work to help families, kids and teens. To finish her degree at NAU, Elizabeth needed an internship that would immerse her in her field.

Soon, Elizabeth discovered that North Star Youth Partnership was an ideal fit. North Star, a program of Catholic Charities, helps youth ages 11-18 build confidence and a brighter future through educational, recreational, leadership and service-learning opportunities.?Read more about how Elizabeth has advocated for vulnerable youth throughout her internship.

Spreading the Love of Literacy to Preschool Students

For nearly a decade, Catholic Charities’ Westside Head Start has proudly hosted Read Across America, an annual celebration of early childhood literacy in collaboration with partners such as Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW). This year, volunteers from VSUW, PNC Bank, City of Hope, Avondale Neighborhood & Family Services, Flagstar Bank, and other community members dedicated their time to read to our 3–5-year-old learners, donning Dr. Seuss hats and sharing their favorite stories.

Thanks to the generosity of VSUW and Kids Need to Read, children at Littleton and Dysart Head Starts went home with new books to enjoy with their families. Longtime volunteer, Jim Powell from Flagstar Bank, pictured above, has been a steadfast supporter, generously dedicating his time to various initiatives. Not only does he serve as an annual reader for our Read Across America event, but he also brings joy to our community as Santa Claus for Catholic Charities Resident Services and other events.

As Dr. Seuss once said, 'The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.' Thank you to Jim and all of our volunteers, partners, and supporters for opening the doors to a world of imagination and opportunity through the gift of reading!

Since 1933, we’ve been bringing families together through foster?care and adoption. You can help provide loving, safe homes for?the more than 13,000 foster children in Arizona by redirecting your?state tax dollars to invest in our work. Improve lives and get a credit?from the State of Arizona when you file your taxes in April.

Tax Credit Limits for 2023 - $526 Single filers / $1,051 Joint Filers

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