Tag Archives: Catholic Charities

Father Phipps to lead Charities

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz has appointed Father Ricardo Phipps director of Catholic Charities Jackson. Father Phipps, a Mississippi native, has a doctorate from the University of Mississippi in counselor education as well as a masters in counseling, a masters in divinity and undergraduate degrees in math and history. He has taught graduate level courses at Ole Miss and the University of Texas in Tyler and has served in a number of parishes in the state.
“I am extremely humbled to be appointed to serve at Catholic Charities and also very excited about the appointment. I appreciate the confidence of the bishop in giving me this opportunity,” said Father Phipps. “My training is mental health related, counseling specifically, so I feel like my experience is in line with much of what Catholic Charities is already doing. I want to be a part of assuring that these services will be offered and expanded for a long time,” he added.
“Father Phipps has been a priest of the Diocese of Jackson for the past ten years, and I am confident he will apply his leadership skills to strengthen and develop the array of services that bring support and hope to many in need,” said Bishop Kopacz in a statement.
Linda Raff has been leading the agency temporarily while a search committee looked for a permanent director. The bishop thanked her for coming out of retirement to be the interim director. “I thank Linda Raff for her invaluable leadership during this time of transition. May the Lord continue to bless her and her family,” said the bishop.
Catholic Charities is undergoing re-certification with the national Council on Accreditation (COA) right now. Raff will remain at the agency part-time until the end of September to help smooth the transition and assist with the review. COA accredits child welfare, behavioral health and community-based social service providers. The certification process is very rigorous.
“Father Ric’s background and experience in ministry, education and clinical work in addition to his care and concern for all of God’s children makes him especially suited for the work and mission of Catholic Charities,” said Raff. “I know the agency will thrive under his leadership and I know it will continue to be a beacon of help and hope for all Mississippians especially the poor and vulnerable,” she added.
Catholic Charities is the social service arm of the church in Mississippi, providing direct service to those in need. The agency offers counseling, adoption services, a rape crisis center, a domestic violence shelter, immigration and resettlement services, a health ministry, social justice advocacy, addiction services, disaster response and housing and job training for veterans. Clients do not need to be Catholic, in fact, a majority of those served are not Catholic.
“I feel like Catholic Charities is our greatest evangelization arm in an area where not many people are Catholic, and I am excited to be a part of that,” said Father Phipps. He will remain pastor of Jackson Christ the King, but will no longer be pastor of Jackson St. Therese. Msgr. Elvin Sunds will serve as canonical pastor of St. Therese. See page 11 for these and other pastoral assignments.

Knights deliver coats for children in shelters

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Four Mississippi Knights of Columbus councils participated in the National Coats for Kids program this year, donating more than 70 coats to Catholic Charities’ shelters for battered women. Members of the councils from Flowood, Gluckstadt, Madison and Pearl delivered six cases of coats to Arteria Puckett, the shelter director, at Catholic Charities’ downtown Jackson headquarters on Friday, Dec. 12.
Philip Jabor, Chris Sigler, Tunney Vandevender and Tony Kumor brought some samples up to the office and then helped Puckett load the cases into her vehicle so she could deliver the coats to children in both the Jackson and Natchez shelters, which are usually full at this time of year. “This is perfect. We had a little boy in the Jackson shelter last night ask for a coat, so this couldn’t come at a better time,” said Puckett.

Tony Kumor hands a donated coat to Arteria Puckett, director of the Catholic Charities Battered Womens’ Shelter.

Tony Kumor hands a donated coat to Arteria Puckett, director of the Catholic Charities Battered Womens’ Shelter.

The Knights of Columbus work with a manufacturer on a national level to make the coats available at discount rates. Each case of 12 fleece-lined, puffer coats in blue and pink costs $220 and contains a variety of sizes. Last year was a record-breaking year for the program nationally.
“We usually try to find out how many coats Catholic Charities needs and then ask each council who is willing to sponsor as many cases as they can,” said Jabor, the state treasurer who has organized the drive for the past few years.
“We really appreciate these coats. Even if we don’t give them all out right now, we now have enough to last most of the winter season and that’s a good feeling,” said Puckett.

Linda Raff named interim director of Catholic Charities

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Former director Linda Raff has taken over as interim director of Catholic Charities of Jackson while the organization seeks a new executive director. Raff previously acted as director from 1994-2008.
A search committee will formulate requirements and begin advertising for the spot in the coming weeks.
Catholic Charities celebrated 50 years of faith and service in 2013, having started as a service to care for orphans in Natchez. Today, Catholic Charities offers a number of services through the parishes and through direct aid to those in need including substance abuse services, domestic violence and runaway shelters, rape crisis services, family counseling, child and adult mental health services, care for unwed mothers, foster care, adoption services, legal aid for immigrants and low-income housing assistance for veterans, the elderly and families.
Catholic Charities is funded through the annual Catholic Service Appeal, direct donations and through federal and state funding and grants. The mission of Catholic Charities is to be a visible sign of Christ’s love and concern for all people. The services are offered to anyone in need, not just Catholics.

School library cleanup results in book donation

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JACKSON – St. Andrew’s Episcopal School donated more than 1,000 books to Catholic Charities in August. The books will go to the many children’s programs of the agency, including Therapeutic Foster Care, the domestic violence shelter and more.

Amy Turner, program director of Therapeutic Foster Care joins fellow therapists Sherrita Harrison, Stacy Pajak, Ann Skelton and Jill Cauthen in selecting books for their clients. (Photo by Michael Thomas)


The donation, according to lower school librarian Laura Ginsberg, was the result of a regular culling of library resources. When books are no longer being checked out, or are a little worn, the library will replace them. The originals are still in good shape, so the librarians started looking for agencies that could make good use of them. When Ginsberg heard about the many children served by Catholic Charities, it seemed like the perfect fit.
Most are children’s books, but some young adult and high school material added. “We had a book fair Aug. 11-14, allowing therapists from all Catholic Charities programs to get books for their consumers,” said Kim Thomason, volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities. “Our programs were excited for this opportunity to share with their children.  We are very appreciative of this generous gift,” she added.

Catholic Charities continues assistance

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080814diasterresponse

Louisville – A defiant homeowner in Louisville displays a message of hope May 2, days after a series of deadly tornadoes leveled this block of homes. Catholic Charities continues to help with case management and recovery efforts in all the affected areas. (Photo by Ben Garrott)

Three months after a series of deadly tornadoes caused unbelievable damage to several communities, Catholic Charities’ Disaster Response Teams continue to help manage long-term recovery efforts.
“To date $26,500 has been raised from private donations, diocesean donations and Catholic Charities USA. Currently we are working with local long-term recovery committees in Warren, Winston, Lowndes, Itawamba and Lee County. We are also partnering with Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” explained Chamon Williams, a program specialist with Catholic Charities.
Catholic Charities’ Disaster Preparedness and Response program provides assistance with unmet needs by partnering with committees to ensure that families get proper case management and all available resources are exhausted while looking to see that there is not a duplication of services.
On April 28, more than a dozen tornadoes touched down affecting multiple counties within the Diocese of Jackson. “Catholic Charities, Inc. Disaster Preparedness & Response program are ‘early responders,’ which means we enter to provide disaster relief 72 hours after the disaster. Teams conducted damage assessments in Itawamba, Lee, Rankin and Winston counties in coordination with the Warren County EMA. The Knights of Columbus assisted with managing debris removal and volunteers,” said Williams.
“The Disaster Preparedness and Response team would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ to all who prayed, donated and volunteered. We would not have the ability to provide disaster assistance without you,” Williams said.
It is not too late for those affected by the storms to seek assistance, contact the team at 601-850-9532. Donations are also still welcomed.

Success story demonstrates need for veteran housing program

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By Chamon Williams
GREENWOOD – Catholic Charities’ Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program is continuing to provide assistance to the veteran community within the Diocese of Jackson. One of the challenges has been finding adequate housing in the more rural parts of the state. The program has offices located in Natchez, Jackson, Greenwood and Vardaman. Through the support of Father Gregory Plata, OSF, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Francis of Assisi Parishes, Catholic Charities is able to have a presence within the Mississippi Delta Region. Melissa Ivory is the Delta Region Case Manager housed at Immaculate Heart of Mary.
On February 6, Ivory met Mr. Ballentine, a 59 year old male from Tallahatchie County. He initially contacted the SSVF program after losing his job and discovering he was ineligible to draw unemployment.  Although the federal government shutdown had the SSVF program on hold for a while, Ballentine did not give up hope.
In the initial visit, Ballentine, was not living in the most stable home. When he ran out of propane, he used electrical heaters and removed the oven door to warm his home. To help with his delinquency in rent, the client offered to help his landlord with much-needed work to his home and other properties.
Due to the conditions of his current home and wanting to have a safe environment to spend time with his son, Ballentine decided that he wanted a place to call home where there was warmth, character, and beauty.
“Through the SSVF program, we have been able to give Mr. Ballentine a ray of sunshine through his seemingly dark journey. After having his home burglarized, we assisted with getting his ID card to obtain a copy of his social security card, birth certificate and car tags,” said Ivory.
Ballentine was very dedicated and proactive about finding a new job, even visiting a former employer who helped him secure his delinquent driver’s license. He is currently working on his CDL to return to truck driving. “In the meantime, he has secured a job with the local saw mill working six days a week. He has moved into a remodeled three bedroom mobile home and is very ecstatic to have his son visit and decorate his own room,” said Ivory. Mr. Ballentine desires to be a motivational speaker/mentor for the youths in Tallahatchie County and hopes to bring more activities/programs to help bring a more positive image to his hometown.
The SSVF program is funded in part through a federal grant from the Veterans Administration aimed at finding stable housing for veterans and their families.
Those wishing to assist with donations of money, clothes and materials can contact Michael Thomas at michael.thomas@ccjackson.org. Those who have rental property in the Delta who would like to offer it to the program should contact Chamon Williams at chamon.williams@ccjackson.org. Both can be reached at 601-355-8634.
(Chamon Williams is a program specialist with Catholic Charities, Inc.)

March for Life dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe

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By Charlotte A. Koestler
JACKSON – Catholic Charities’ Pro-Life Working Group has dedicated the diocesan high school students’ annual pilgrimage to the national March for Life to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Protectress of the Unborn, and in doing so simultaneously thanks her for sending her son, Bishop Kopacz, to the Jackson Diocese.080814guadalupe
“It seems as if Our Lady of Guadalupe graciously reached out to our diocese as Bishop Kopacz was appointed to serve us on her feast day, December 12,” stated Barbara Mustain, working group member.  Bishop Kopacz’s deep devotion to the Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe is prominently displayed as a red rose on his coat of arms. The red rose the symbol for the pro-life movement represents all stages of human development from conception until its fulfillment in eternity.
Blessed Mother’s miraculous image produced on Juan Diego’s tilma is abounding in symbolism. The bow on her dress and its high placement and the strategically placed four petal flower, indicate that the virgin is with child making Our Lady of Guadalupe the picture-perfect icon of the pro-life movement. It is interesting to note that Bishop Kopacz selected the Latin phrase Fiat Lux, or “Let there be light,” for his motto since the word, LUZ, Spanish for light, is seen in her garment.
“By this dedication, we are doubly blessed to be under the protection of our mother’s mantle and our bishop’s shield,” said Mustain.
The Catholic Charities Jackson Pro-Life Working Group organizes the annual diocesan high school pilgrimage to the national March for Life. All diocesan high school seniors and juniors are encouraged to go to jacksonmarchforlife.org to learn more about their participation in the 2015 pilgrimage.(Charlotte A. Koestler is a program specialist for parish based ministries for Catholic Charities)

Helping vets out of the woods

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By Maureen Smith
Soldiers are trained to live in often brutal conditions, camping or making-do in terrible situations during deployments for their country. What many people don’t know is that some veterans are forced to use those survival skills when they come home. Catholic Charities is using a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help those low-income vets who are homeless or have unstable housing situations in the Diocese of Jackson. The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program started in February in four offices throughout the state.

“This has been an eye-opening experience,” said Chamon Williams, the program coordinator. “We love the people we encounter and some of these stories are heart-wrenching. These are people who have served our country and now they are living below the poverty level,” she added.

The SSVF seeks out vets and their families who are either homeless or who are “couch surfing,” meaning they are staying with friends and family for short periods of time. The main goal of the program is to get them in a stable housing situation through case management, but Williams said the case workers are doing much more than that.

“We provide utility assistance, help with job location, sometimes we can help with transportation and clothing vouchers,” she explained. Many times, she said, the veterans are not aware of the many programs and resources available to them so SSVF case workers act as connectors to other partners and agencies.

Budgeting is sometimes an issue. One client in Natchez was living in a wooded area near a retail center. He was getting a pension every month but could not seem to make the money stretch. “He was unable to budget his money and save so he could move into permanent housing,” said his case manager, Cynthia Jackson. She was able to help with the deposits for an apartment and utilities and help him learn how to manage his budget. “At the present time, he is in a stable housing situation and is paying his own rent and utilities,” she said. When she went to visit him recently, he offered her a cup of milk as he unloaded groceries. He was all settled in and had clean clothes drying on a clothesline. Jackson said she was touched by the normal domestic scene since he had been homeless just a few short weeks before. “He is very happy and thankful for the assistance he received through the Catholic Charities SSVF program,” Jackson added.

Williams said she has spoken with some clients who have fallen victim to predatory lenders. One man had taken out four different loans from high-interest so-called payday lenders in an attempt to pay off one debt. Case managers worked with him to break the cycle and pay off all the debts to get a clean start.

Another family in the Delta heard about the program on the radio. The veteran, his pregnant wife and their son were living with family, but needed to get a home of their own before their baby was born. “On May 9, two wonderful things happened for this couple. The first being the couple was able to secure housing,” wrote their case worker Melissa Ivory. The second bit of good news is that the husband has secured job training to become an IT specialist. Their baby is due in June.

Kimberle Neal, who works in the Vardaman office, said one of her greatest joys is seeing how her clients thrive when they are empowered to make a positive change. “There’s always a helping hand, but it’s nothing like trying to help yourself first. I must say that it has been a pleasant experience to meet and collaborate with new clients that are seeking help in order to have a better way of life,” she said.

“We wanted to reach an under and unserved population,” Williams explained about why Catholic Charities pursued this grant. “When we started there was one organization working with veterans only in the Jackson area, and it was located in Hattiesburg. There are now five partner organizations throughout the state,” she added. Catholic Charities already had staff in the Delta and the northern part of the state so they knew about the need and knew they could bring the right services to those areas.

Catholic Charities takes advantage of the synergy of its network of services. Recently Williams delivered a load of new clothing donated by Catholic Charities’ thrift store All Things New to clients in the SSVF program. Ivory, who works in Greenwood, was able to use those clothes for some of her clients. “One of my clients was able to find items to wear to church and future interviews. Others took the basics for everyday wear and were extremely happy to have clothing that fit,” said Ivory.

Other case managers can refer their clients to other programs and services to help with other needs they may have. Catholic Charities in Jackson was one of 15 Catholic Charities entities across the nation to get this grant.
SSVF case managers have offices in Jackson, Greenwood, Vardaman and Natchez. Case managers hope to impact 100 families by late fall of this year. To participate in this program or assist call Chamon Williams at Catholic Charities at 601-355-8634 .

Tennis tourney loves Charities

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By Jennifer Kelemen
JACKSON – The USTA $25,000 Women’s Challenger tennis tournament was held March 30-April 7 at the River Hills Club. The event is the sixth longest running challenger event in the country and features competitors from across the globe.
The Women’s Single winner of the tournament was Ulrikke Eikeri from Norway, and the Doubles winners were Chanal Simmonds from South Africa and Masa Zec-Peskiric from Slovenia.

The Challenger features daily tennis play including elimination rounds for the professionals and Pro-Am for those who are not up to professional level but who love to play the sport. Almost every evening Catholic Charities hosted a social event in conjunction with the tournament.

Tuesday night featured a chef cook-off between River Hills Club and St Dominic’s. Wednesday was Margarita and Mexican cuisine, and Friday night was a delicious Crawfish boil. Several nights of the week guests were entertained by the sounds of Dan Hammond.

St. Dominic, the largest sponsor of the event, hosted a ladies luncheon, “Serving Up Women’s Health,” featuring three physicians, Dr. William Dotie Jackson, Dr. Richard Guynes, and Dr. John Baten, who spoke briefly about an issue in their specialty that is important to women’s health.

St Dominic also provided consultations for tennis injuries, a night with The Spa at St. Dominic’s, and heart assessments aboard St. Dominic Care-A-Van.
“Catholic Charities would like to thank St. Dominic’s, Sanderson Farms, Cups/Cappy’s Oil, NewSouth Neurospine, CSPIRE Foundation, WAPT News and all the other sponsors who helped to make this year’s tournament a great success. It is by the generosity of others that Catholic Charities can continue to provide services for those who are in need.

Journey of Hope inspires

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By Jennifer Kelemen
NATCHEZ – More than 200 guests joined Catholic Charities at St. Mary’s Basilica Family Life Center on Friday, March 21, for a Journey of Hope luncheon. The attendees were joined by Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Msgr. Elvin Sunds, Vicar General, Father David O’Connor, pastor, Donna Miller, director of the Guardian Shelter for Battered Families and Greg Patin, executive director of Catholic Charities.

Greg Patin

Greg Patin

The Journey of Hope provides much needed financial support for the many services offered by Catholic Charities, including counseling, domestic violence services, emergency assistance services, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing, rape crisis center and the parish health ministry.

The keynote speaker, B.C., a survivor of domestic abuse who benefited greatly from Catholic Charities, shared her story as a way to show the impact the organization can have. She said she was bounced from house to house as a young child. She rode the bus with a boy for a year before she realized that he was her brother.

C. told how she ended up in a relationship with a man who physically and mentally abused her. The police became involved and directed her to the Guardian Shelter. She was 7-and-half months pregnant and hadn’t received any neonatal care, and had three small children in her care. The shelter was able to get her medical care and provide a safe home. She left the shelter twice, once out of fear she would be found, but eventually returned determined to make a new life.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz speaks with an attendee at the Journey of Hope luncheon in Natchez. (Photos by Msgr. Elvin Sunds)


Bishop Joseph Kopacz speaks with an attendee at the Journey of Hope luncheon in Natchez. (Photos by Msgr. Elvin Sunds)

C. said she would pray day and night for” just one year” without her abuser. After she returned to the shelter she learned her abuser had been sentenced to exactly one year in prison.

C. thanked the Lord and set about making serious changes in her life. She worked two jobs, bought a car and was chosen for a Habitat for Humanity home.
She attends Alcorn State University, and her children are now thriving in school.  M. has also started her own foundation. “It still takes a village to raise our children,” which honors students who have lost a parent, but are continuing their education.

C. credits Catholic Charities and the Guardian Shelter with giving her the  tools she needed to transform her life and  the lives of her children. Her testimony inspired many of those attending the lunch to support the programs Catholic Charities offers.