About Catholic Charities USA

Catholic Charities USA is the national office for over 1,700 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions nationwide. Catholic Charities USA provides strong leadership and support to enhance the work of local agencies in their efforts to reduce poverty, support families, and empower communities.

Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 7.8 million people of all faiths each year.

Catholic Charities USA supports local agencies through:

• Advocacy
  Catholic Charities USA vigorously advocates federal policymakers on our poverty reduction agenda and promotes the work of local Catholic Charities to the media and the general public.
• Networking
  CCUSA provides networking opportunities to bring members together to share information, solve problems, and connect with one another. Catholic Charities USA also creates and facilitates a wide range of networks and partnerships with other organizations committed to social justice, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
• National Voice
  Catholic Charities USA’s president represents North America before Caritas International—the international conference of Catholic Charities—maintaining contact with the Catholic Charities movement throughout the world.
• Training, Financial Support, and Leadership
  Catholic Charities USA provides training, technical assistance, financial support, and leadership in developing model programs and services for members. By providing these services, Catholic Charities USA enables local agencies to better devote their own resources to serving their community.
• Disaster Response
  Catholic Charities USA has been commissioned by the U.S. Catholic bishops to represent the Catholic community in times of domestic disaster. Catholic Charities USA provides technical assistance, training, and financial assistance to local agencies. 

Catholic Charities USA was founded in 1910 on the campus of Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, as the National Conference of Catholic Charities.

The National Conference was created to promote the creation of diocesan Catholic Charities bureaus, to encourage professional social work practice, “to bring a sense of solidarity” among those in charitable ministries, and to be the “attorney for the poor."

In 2010, Catholic Charities USA will celebrate its centennial.