Catholic Charities Bloomington
Folks living in rural areas face many barriers in accessing all forms of health care, most notably issues of transportation and access to high-speed internet. Before the pandemic, providing mental health therapy via virtual Telehealth had been a dream for CCB. However, COVID-19 expedited this vision, and the federal and state governments, along with insurance companies, quickly created more flexibility in how therapists can provide services, opening the door for virtual therapy sessions. The shift to virtual therapy has most impacted families and individuals living in rural areas who struggled to make it into the office for sessions due to lack of transportation or difficulty in making the long commute. Infrastructure for broadband internet was fast-tracked in rural areas, benefiting our clients through access to more reliable internet.
 
These adaptations represent a key moment in working towards better serving the rural communities surrounding Monroe County. Right now, government and clinical agencies are focused on making mental health services more readily available for folks. CCB is embracing these changes by continuing our virtual Telehealth therapy option for clients. Expect to hear more from us in the future on new developments in programming and outreach for rural communities. What an opportunity to transform the challenges of the pandemic into creative solutions for expanding access to mental health care!
Becky's Place
Becky’s Place Receives United Way of South Central Indiana Grant

Becky’s Place recently received a $30,000 grant from United Way of South Central Indiana. These funds were part of an Economic Relief Initiative Grant that was awarded to United Way of South Central Indiana through a partnership between Lilly Endowment Inc. and Indiana United Ways. These funds will be use to help with operation expenses of the shelter. We thank United Way of South Central Indiana for their generous support in providing help and creating hope for homeless women and children in our community.
Catholic Charities Indianapolis
Senior Companion Provides a Lasting Friendship
Edith was an isolated low income 83-year-old who was referred to the Senior Companion Program by her health care case managers. They thought Edith would benefit from regular contact and assistance with shopping and meal prep. Edith was matched with Maria, a 69-year-old experienced Senior Companion. Edith was not keen of having a companion but reluctantly agreed to have Maria visit a few times a week. Maria helped Edith shop for groceries and made sure she ate healthy, delicious meals. Maria often shared her own food because she also lived alone and felt good that she had someone to enjoy her cooking. Maria’s regular visits increased as their relationship grew. Edith’s health declined, and Maria was Edith’s support for many trips to the hospital and rehab. Three years passed and Maria visited her dear friend one last time in hospice. Maria held Edith’s hand and thanked her for her friendship, and they prayed together. Edith passed away peacefully that evening. The case manager and doctors praised the faithful care Maria provided and acknowledged that it enabled Edith to live in her home until she died. Maria spoke fondly of how the relationship she built with Edith enriched her life.
 
The Senior Companion Program (SCP) is sponsored by Catholic Charities Indianapolis which assures that Senior Companions are carefully screened, and receive pre-service, as well as on-going training and support. Senior Companions are placed with community organizations serving older adults to assist in their support. AmeriCorps Seniors provides major federal funds and administers the SCP. SCP connects persons 55 years of age and older to provide friendly visits and one-on-one care to frail homebound adults to prevent social isolation and encourage aging in place. Click here to learn more about the Senior Companion Program. 
St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities
St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities Offers Help for Families Through Marie’s Community Distribution Program

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, through our Marie’s Community Distribution Program, St Elizabeth Catholic Charities offered a special summer distribution event. With the help of funding awarded by Metro United Way and the tremendous effort of 8 dedicated volunteer teams, these essential baby necessities, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items were made available to 209 households who needed a little help making ends meet. Over $25,000 worth of goods were distributed. Watch the video to learn more.
Catholic Charities Tell City
We at Tell City are very honored to have received an Economic Relief Initiative United Way Grant for $87,00 to help those impacted by COVID-19. We have assisted 8 families from being evicted and helped to keep their utilities connected. Most of the families we have assisted are now back to work. We have also been able to assist five local food pantries with purchasing food. Our little town of Tell City has been very blessed by Catholic Charities for offering them this funding. Thank you so much to United Way of Central Indiana for granting us this funding
Catholic Charities Terre Haute
Our Foodbank is on track to distribute 5.2 million pounds of food in 2021 — a number that we are very proud of. We are also very proud of a new program that will help to reduce the amount of food waste that is generated through our donation program.
 
A small percentage of the food that we receive is unable to be distributed — it may be expired, damaged, or have mold. We have long-standing relationships with local farmers who often take some of this food for animal feed or composting. In the spring of 2021, we began a new partnership with the White Violet Center for Eco-justice, specifically their organic farm. A ministry of the Sisters of Providence, White Violet Center for Eco-Justice at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods includes an organic farm that provides fresh, local fruits, vegetables, and flowers to the community.
 
A grant from the Kroger Company ZERO Hunger ZERO Waste Foundation made it possible for us to purchase hoppers to hold the food waste and a trailer to help transport the waste to the farm. Here, the food is added to compost and its nutrients return to the soil to grow the beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables at White Violet Center.
Social Concerns
Social Concerns encourages the community to grow in a deeper understanding of Catholic Social Teaching by providing resources and strategies for effective action in parishes, schools, and surrounding communities. Most importantly, it calls us to a deeper understanding in living out the Two Greatest Commandments, which is to Love God and to Love our Neighbors, both locally and globally. Learn more about social concerns at www.archindy.org/socialconcerns.
Save the Date
St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities Reverse Raffle
Date: Saturday, November 13, 2021  
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Huber's Orchard and Winery 
Details: Join us for our Annual Reverse Raffle. Find more information here.

Catholic Charities Terre Haute Cheers for Charity
Date: Saturday, November 20, 2021
Time: 7:00-10:00pm
Location: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Details: A Wine and Bourbon Tasting that includes sampling six hand-selected tastings, each paired with a custom appetizer. A live band will begin at 8:00pm and a cash bar will be available. This is a 21 and older event. Purchase tickets here

Becky’s Place Christmas Open House
Date: Tuesday, December 7, 2021  
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Becky's Place  
Details: Join us for a shelter tour, update from Program Director Corrina Hayes and more.

Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala
Date: Friday, February 25, 2022  
Time: 6:00pm 
Location: JW Marriott Indianapolis 
Details: The second annual Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala benefitting Catholic Charities, Catholic Schools and Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary. Contact Cheri Bush for ticket or sponsor information or visit: https://one.bidpal.net/legacygala2022