Our Summer Volunteer Attorney Drive - a little time makes a big difference!

Volunteer attorneys with our Legal Network gathered
at a recent thank-you reception. 

Attorney Brian Stolarz typically works on complex white-collar criminal defense  and commercial litigation matters.  But he carves out a few hours every month to take on and consult on more routine, simple pro bono cases through Catholic Charities Archdiocesan Legal Network.

“I often tell people that these cases are very small in the grand scheme of things, but very big for the people you help out,” Brian said, who works as Counsel at Jackson Kelly PLLC. “In so many situations, just having legal representation, especially in litigation matters can force someone to stop trying to take advantage of a person.”

Brian recalled one situation where a client came to the Legal Network after a former landlord secured a judgment against him for for bogus unpaid rent and damages to his apartment. As soon as the client had an attorney in court, the judgment was removed and the landlord even repaid the client his security deposit.

Brian estimates the case, in total, only took five to 10 hours of his time. For the client, however, it meant that he wasn’t scrambling to find thousands of dollars – which likely would have been garnished from his wages because of the judgment.

Just this week, a man who is homeless came to us seeking help expunging his criminal record. He was wrongly arrested for attempted murder and spent a few days in jail until the police caught the actual suspect, upon which he was released. It was a simple matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, the charge of attempted murder remained on his record, and he could never get a job because of it.

You can help this man get his life back. Sign up to be a pro bono attorney during our Summer Volunteer Attorney Drive. We are recruiting attorneys who are barred in Washington, DC and Maryland.

The time commitment is entirely up to you. Legal Network volunteers and staff screen each potential case thoroughly before making a recommendation to any pro bono attorneys. And a strong support network exists to seek advice on cases.

For more than 20 years, the Legal Network has existed to help level the playing field for low-income clients facing civil legal matters. Thousands of attorneys have given their time and talent to help represent clients in a wide range of matters.

This summer, join the ranks and make a huge difference for someone. As a huge bonus, you get to spend some time working with our Senior Program Manager, Jim Bishop. Jim is an absolute joy to work with – ask any of the hundreds of attorneys who have helped him in the Legal Network’s mission.

To volunteer, call Jim at 202-772-1201 or email at James.Bishop@CatholicCharitiesDC.org.  

Thanks, Dads!

Guest Post from Father John

Happy Father's Day to all fathers and father figures

President and CEO, Catholic Charities

I'm always touched when I see a dad in one of our programs, working hard to rebuild a stable home for his family. I've met so many fathers who come to our job training programs, who are in line early at food and clothing distributions, who will do anything to provide for their family. I've met dads who make enormous sacrifices to ensure their child with a developmental disability gets the same opportunities to thrive.


And it inspires me.

Today is Father's Day. Across the region, families are taking a moment to stop, and appreciate all the little things a father does to make life a little better for his kids. I know my father made plenty of sacrifices raising us. It was something I always quietly cherished about my father, and only later did I realize just how much that influenced who I am today.

Say a quick prayer for all fathers and father figures today today -- the ones in our programs, the ones in your lives, and the ones who serve in so many ways. I've included one of my favorites below. 

Prayer for Fathers

God our Father, We give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old.

We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation; May they find courage and perseverance to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.

We pray for our own fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering; May they know that the God of compassion walks with them in their sorrow.

We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice.

We remember fathers, grandfather, and great grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen

When you help a struggling father, you help a whole family, and the community. Please consider making a gift in honor of your dad: www.CatholicCharitiesDC.org/Father

A Little Help from Prom Night Angels

"It’s [homeslessness] hard on kids,
and we make sure we protect them as much as possible,
and make sure they can engage with the world,
and not miss out on important things just
because of their family’s situation at that time.
For a kid in high school, the prom is really important."
~Dora Carter, Angel's Watch Program Manager

Kevin had a secret he didn’t want his mom, Tasha, to know: he really, really wanted to go to his high school prom.

The family had been through a lot lately. For the safety of herself and her three kids, Tasha turned to Catholic Charities' Angel’s Watch Shelter, a safe place for families overcoming domestic violence and homelessness to get back on their feet. Because of his mom’s delicate situation, Kevin knew going to the prom would be financially impossible.

“He wouldn’t come out and say it, but I could tell he wanted to go,” Tasha said. “I didn’t know what to do.” She mentioned the problem to her case manager, Dayon Jackson, and Dayon talked with Dora Carter, program manager at Angel’s Watch.

“First thing we did was make a list,” Dora said. “Everything he’d need – a tuxedo, tickets for him and a date, a haircut. We were getting really excited about the prom, and we weren’t even the ones going.

"Once we knew what was needed, we turned to the Southern Maryland Women’s League, who are big supporters of our work, and they came through with the funds Kevin needed.”

When Dora and Dayon told Tasha the news, she burst into tears. And when Tasha told her son, he started crying too – but not for long. He had a lot of planning to do: picking out a tuxedo (black with midnight blue trimmings), arranging a ride, and – the hardest part of all – asking a date, one of his classmates. She said yes!

“Kevin’s been shy during his time at our shelter,” Dora said. “It’s hard on kids, and we make sure we protect them as much as possible, and make sure they can engage with the world, and not miss out on important things just because of their family’s situation at that time. For a kid in high school, the prom is really important. You can see this opportunity gave Kevin a lot of confidence and boosted his self-esteem. It was really moving.”

Tasha agreed. “It was wonderful for me to see my son so excited and feeling positive,” she said. “He took so many pictures and had the most wonderful time. He even danced the two-step with his date!”

Angel's Watch serves women and their children fleeing abuse and homelessness in Charles County, MD. To protect their privacy and safety, clients’ names have been changed in this story and no client photographs were used. You can support Angel's Watch with an online donation. 

God Bless Father John!

Earlier this week Msgr. John Enzler, our president and CEO, celebrated his 40th Anniversary in the priesthood. What a milestone! Our headquarters on G Street has been abuzz this week with a huge outpouring of gratitude from the community, giving thanks for Father John's amazing and enthusiastic ministry to all of our neighbors here in the Archdiocese of Washington. Take a look!

We were so inspired by this congratulatory letter from Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, written to Father John on this special occasion. 

 A beautiful Spiritual Bouquet from some dear friends of Father John's and Catholic Charities' - each petal marks prayers said on his behalf!

Father John celebrated Mass with Catholic Charities' Board of Directors...

And the Board presented Father John with this plaque to commemorate his milestone anniversary in the priesthood. The quote on it read: 

You can do something I can't do

I can do something you can't do.

Together let us do something

beautiful to God.

Mother Teresa

Please join us in congratulating Father John on his 40th anniversary in the priesthood - leave a note in the comment box below!

Did you know? Father John is on Twitter - catch his thoughts on service, spirituality, and of course his favorite DC sports teams @FrJohnEnzler

Almost Anyone Can Find Themselves in Need

When crisis hits, families like Andy and Sarah,
and Paul and Yuliis (pictured above) know they can count
on support from Catholic Charities.

Andy, his wife, Sarah, and their baby daughter, Bella (names changed to protect client privacy), are not the people you might expect to find turning to Catholic Charities for help. Andy had a good job and the family was getting along just fine.

Then Andy's car broke down. The repairs were just too costly to manage for a family who had just had a baby, and he lost his job since he had no other transportation to work. 

Suddenly even minor expenses - like diapers and baby food for Bella - were impossible to afford. So they turned to Catholic Charities' Montgomery County Family Center (MCFC), where they heard baby goods were available to families in need. But those urgent items were just the beginning of what they found there. 

Staff at the Family Center worked quickly to meet the family's urgent needs: necessities for Bella, food stamps so the parents could  eat, too. More than that, a caseworker worked with Andy to develop a new resume and conduct a job search. Shortly after, he was able to find stable work at a hotel valet - not his ideal job, but he's grateful for the income. 
 "Every time we pass through a tough time, we learn a lot of little things," he said.

Our MCFC is a tremendous resource. Moms and dads can take classes in parenting, nutrition, and money management. They get access to affordable healthcare and legal services, counseling for women with unexpected pregnancies, and referrals to other programs throughout the community. With their help, families and individuals face the future with renewed hope. 

Our 2013 Spring Forward Drive is in progress. Please consider a gift: www.CatholicCharitiesDC.org/Spring

I Love My Mom Because...

Moms are such a special part of our lives - inspiring us to be the best version of ourselves. Mother's Day is a wonderful time to celebrate them!

Help us support new moms and new families in need with in-kind donations to our Baby Goods Drive - a great project for your family, parish, school, office, etc.! And don't forget to take a moment today to tell all the great women in your life how much you appreciate them. 

Happy Mother's Day from Catholic Charities!

Mom Finds Joy in her Son's New Smile

Rosa (name changed) was living in the United States for several years when she received the best news of her life: her teenage son, James was emigrating from Honduras to join her in Silver Spring, Maryland.

The sadness of their separation was over, but Rosa could see that James was struggling with his new life, especially in school. Dental care simply had not been available to him in Honduras, and he had lost his two front teeth at a young age due to severe rot. He struggled to enunciate English words and was frustrated and unhappy.

James is taking great care of his teeth now
with help from Catholic Charities'
dental clinic staff.

But Rosa would not give up. She took James to Catholic Charities' dental clinics, where he saw Dr. Kesha Stephenson, a volunteer dentist who did her pediatric residency work with Howard University at our dental clinic.

"Nearly all his teeth had cavities," said Dr. Stephenson, who worked with James over a series of visits. "It's quite common that in many parts of Latin America, limited access to care makes it very difficult to take care of your teeth."

James was fitted with a removable partial denture to replace his two front teeth, and at his mother's urging (he might say nagging!), began embracing his dental hygiene. It's made all the difference for him at school, Rosa said. 

"He is back to smiling his beautiful smile. I can tell he has so much more confidence now."

So many moms right here in our neighborhood are trying to care for their families in the face of tremendous challenges: poverty, homelessness, abuse, hunger, unemployment. Maybe, like Rosa, they don't have health insurance. Fortunately, we offer them a place to turn at their hour of need, regardless of their faith or background, and restore their hope for a brighter tomorrow. 

Please help mothers in our area who are in need or who are worried about providing for their children. Can you make a Mother's Day gift today in honor of your mom to help mothers and families? With your support, we can make sure that their child will always have a reason to smile. Please help now.