‘Light the World’ for
the Most Vulnerable
This year, Catholic Charities is one of the
featured, local charities which benets from
the “Light the World” campaign sponsored
by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, and we couldn’t be more excited!
What is Light the World? It’s a fun, family-
friendly, easy way for people to donate to
local charities through big, red vending
machines!
Light the World started in 2017 with just
four machines in Salt Lake City. Last year,
it expanded to Gilbert, Ariz., New York,
London and Manila and raised $2.3 million!
The Gilbert machines alone raised over
$862,000, second only to Salt Lake City,
which shows the tremendous giving spirit of
our community. We aim to beat that record
this year, and we hope you’ll join in our
eorts.
Thousands of people will line up to invest
this holiday through the vending machines,
and they’ll enjoy a night out with friends
and family in beautiful downtown Gilbert.
Catholic Charities will have volunteers
and sta available most evenings to
help patrons get the most out of their
experience. The machines are available
daily through Jan. 1 between 9 a.m. – 11
p.m. next to the Gilbert Water Tower.
So come on out and enjoy the festive
atmosphere while helping our community at
the same time.
If you can’t make it to Gilbert, you can still
participate by giving online at our Light the
World web page, CatholicCharitiesAZ.org/
Light-the-World.
Christmas Means
Challenges for Low-
Income Families,
Enter Emergency
Santa!
It started with a group of neighbors in
Mesa coming together to x old toys and
distribute them to their kids at Christmas
back in 1994. Now, Emergency Santa,
through the Catholic Charities Care
Campus, ensures that kids from all over
the valley have presents under the tree this
Christmas.
Catholic Charities’ Emergency Santa
program opens Santa’s Shop so parents
who otherwise wouldn’t be able to provide
gifts for their children can shop for their
kids in exchange for giving back by
volunteering. The shop is lled with clothes
and toys for ages 0 – 17, with dedicated
volunteers ready to be of assistance and
bring cheer to the "shopping" experience.
“I love that parents get to shop for their
own children and grow the relationship with
their children,” says Johanna Richards, the
Community Engagement Supervisor for the
Mesa Care Campus says. “It’s exciting to
see parents nd ‘that gift’ that they actually
wanted to give their child in the shop.”
Last year, parents Tessa and Kyle
participated in Emergency Santa after
being introduced to the program at
their local church. “We were tight on
money and we had a brand new baby,”
Kyle remembers. “There were a lot of
understanding people there, super nice
INSIDE
this ISSUE
► ‘Light the World’ Giving Machine
► Emergency Santa
► Bill Packard Truck Wrap
► Southwest Gas
► Prayer Intentions
► Recipe
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@catholiccharitiesaz
THE CEO
Dear Champions,
I would like to welcome you all and thank you for
volunteering with us! Your time, talent and treasure are gifts
that are valuable to the people we serve, to the sta, the
agency and to me, your servant leader.
Our agency celebrated its 85
th
anniversary in September
2018. To believe that we have been around so many years
helping the most vulnerable in our community is a miracle
that must continue. Someone once shared with me, “Your
agency is a hidden a treasure,” because of all the amazing
services we provide with humility to people who need
them the most. Your support as Champions in sharing
this “hidden treasure” is critical. Know that we at Catholic
Charities Community Services are graciously thankful for
your continuous support in learning what we do and sharing
it with others..
This handbook is for you to keep, use and share with others
to provide information about our services that permanently
improve lives. We hope you nd it a useful tool for you and
those you meet and serve.
Again, thank you for your time, talent and treasure, and
may God bless our Catholic Charities Champions!
Sincerely,
Paul S. Mulligan
President
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Partner with us by oering services at your location, such as:
• Spreading awareness of our programs and services
• Counseling services
• Citizenship workshops
• and more!
Long-lasting commitments that positively impact the community!
For more information about other ways to partner, or to attend a
presentation about our services, call our parish and community
engagement coordinator at 602-650-4832, email info@cc-
az.org or visit us at https://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org/parish-
community-engagement
SOCIAL MEDIA
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e-newsletter at www.catholicharitiesaz.org,
and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Counseling
Domestic Violence – My Sister’s Place and Pathways
Foster Care and Adoption
Aordable Housing
Care Campus Community Center
Immigration – Familias Unidas
Parents as Teachers
Joining Hearts
Refugee Resettlement
Sex Tracking – Dignity Diversion
Veterans Services and MANA House
Westside Head Start
In-Home Services
Miracle Projects
Foster Care Tax Credit
Volunteer Services
Catholic Charities Champion
www.catholiccharitiesaz.org
and very helpful… it’s an overwhelming
moment of being so excited for
your kids.” Kyle and Tessa did their
community service at their local church,
helping with services, running slideshows
or spending time with the kids. “I got
more hours than was requested, way
more hours.” Kyle laughs.
During the 2018 holiday season,
Emergency Santa was able to serve
over 580 children, with the goal this year
of 1,200. Emergency Santa is seeking
donations to help make sure every child
has something to open this Christmas.
Some ideas for donations are board
games, headphones, comic books,
coloring books, sport balls, clothing (all
sizes), hair tools (straighteners, blow
dryers, curling irons, etc.), baby sensory
items, dolls and craft kits.
Donations can be made from 8 a.m.-5
a.m., Monday through Thursday at the
Care Campus, 466 S. Bellview, Mesa,
AZ 85204 or 4747 N. 47th Dr. 7th Ave in
Phoenix.
BY: JEAN CHRISTOFFERSON
Helping the Community's Most Vulnerable Since 1933
You Make Miracles Happen
WINTER 2019
2 • Summer 2019 • www.CatholicCharitiesAZ.org
Northern Arizona
Truck Gets a
Makeover
It was a single phone call, “What do you need help
with?” Bill and Barbara Packard asked Catholic Charities
Community Services team members in Northern Arizona.
Bill and Barbara Packard have been involved in Catholic
Charites for over 20 years, building great relationships with
the Northern Arizona sta. After being involved in non-prot
and charity work for the past 30 years, owning thrift stores
and starting a food pantry for homeless, Bill and Barbara
asked Sandi Flores, Senior Programs Director, what else
they could do to help their community.
Bill believes in storytelling, seeing the benet of marketing
and advertising for any organization, specically non-
prots. He knew he wanted to do something for their local
Catholic Charites to not just serve the needs of today, but
to help bring awareness of Catholic Charities' work in the
community for years to come.
While owning a thrift store, he had trucks that were
wrapped and painted to act as driving billboards. He saw
great success with this advertising, even an increase in
donations. He suggested this to Sandi, who loved the
idea of expanding the awareness of Catholic Charities in
Northern Arizona. Now, the truck is wrapped and branded
with the Catholic Charities name! The truck is aectionately
known as Optimus Prime, and is visible all over town as it
moves Catholic Charities clients into aordable housing,
picks up donations and more. The truck even made an
appearance in Flagsta’s Fourth of July parade!
“[Bill and Barbara] have always been passionate people
about serving the community… they don’t talk, they act.”
Sandi says. “They don’t sit around and talk about what
happened, they do something about it.”
Bill encourages people to reach out to local nonprots
and charities to give back. He speaks of a time where
he wasn’t involved in his church or in philanthropy at all.
After losing a 16-year-old son, Bill and Barbara decided
they needed to go back to Catholicism and become more
involved with their parish. This has lead them through an
incredible journey, changing the lives of the communities
most vulnerable. At Catholic Charities, we are extremely
grateful for Bill and Barbra’s dedication to serving. “You
either become bitter or you become better,” Bill says. “We
decided to become better.”
Thank you to our friends at Ryan Companies who
have donated toys for our foster children for several
years. We appreciate their generosity and kindness!
3 • Summer 2019 • www.CatholicCharitiesAZ.org
Southwest Gas Employees
Continue to Make a Difference
Southwest Gas may be known for providing natural
gas to Arizona, Nevada and portions of California, but
their employees are what truly bring warmth to our
community.
Southwest Gas holds an employee giving campaign
called, “Fuel for Life”. Every year, Southwest Gas
employees are encouraged to give back to their
community through a variety of organizations, including
Catholic Charities. Southwest Gas employees have
been tremendous supporters of the work we are doing
to help the communities most vulnerable. Not only are
some employees donating a portion of their paycheck,
but employees have donated their time as well.
“Corporations are made up of people. People
want to give. It’s the people who make a dierence,”
Wendy Owens, the Resource Development Manager
for Catholic Charities, says. Wendy raves about
working with Southwest Gas and nds it inspiring how
they provide employee incentives for those who wish to
give back to the community.
“It’s not only about working for a company that lets
us give back, but a company that lets us give back to
organizations like Catholic Charities who do so much
good for the community,” a Southwest Gas employee
says. He has been participating in “Fuel for Life” during
the duration of his time with Southwest Gas, choosing
Catholic Charities as his organization of choice to
donate his personal time and money.
Over the last three years, Southwest Gas employees
have donated a total of $210,000 to Catholic Charities.
We are extremely grateful for corporations such as
Southwest Gas who continue to make a dierence
within our community and for the most vulnerable.
As our local grocery stores place glistening Christmas
trees in their windows and sell gingerbread cookies who
peak their candy eyes out of their boxes, we are reminded
that another year has come to an end. While the holiday
season brings us joy with families coming together and
Christmas songs to sing along to on the radio playing
during your morning commute, it’s important to reect on
all that the Lord has brought us this year.
This year may have included change, transition, loss or
new beginnings. It is easy for us to reect on all that has
put us down, the opportunities we did not receive or the
nights we spent alone, but I encourage you to think of all
the mountains He has moved for you this year. What has
God given to you in 2019?
We may live a life of uncertainty
and chaos, but through it all,
carrying your faith with you will
help you during your battles.
“You don’t have enough faith,”
Jesus told them. “I tell you the
truth, if you had faith even as
small as a mustard seed, you
could say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it
would move. Nothing would be
impossible” (Matthew 17:20 NLT).
At Catholic Charities, The Lord
has moved mountains with
our dedicated sta and volunteers in order to help our
community’s most vulnerable. Because of our hard work,
valued donors and volunteers and faith, we were able
to help over 22,000 people through 22 programs this
year. Families across Arizona will be having a very merry
Christmas, thanks to your time, donations and of course,
prayers.
The Year Ahead (Author Unknown): "May God make your
year a happy one! Not by shielding us from all sorrows
and pain, But by strengthening us to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making our path easy, But by making us sturdy to
travel any path; Not by taking hardships from us, But by
taking fear from our heart; Not by granting us unbroken
sunshine, But by keeping our face bright, even in the
shadows; Not by making our life always pleasant, But by
showing us when people and their causes need us most,
and by making us anxious to be there to help. God's love,
peace, hope and joy to us for the year ahead." How else
can we pray for you?
Send us your prayer requests online through
catholiccharitiesaz.org/other/prayer-intention-card
Have a Little Faith in the New Year
BY: KATRYNA EASTWOOD
(1 Pan Meal)
Ingredients
5 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tbsp. Olive oil
½ a bunch of Rosemary
½ a bunch of Thyme
½ a bunch of Sage
3 tbsp. Red wine vinegar
Garlic (to taste)
Brussels sprouts
2 Sweet potatoes, chopped
2 Fuji apples (or other sweet
baking apples, chopped)
¼ lb Bacon
Salt and pepper (to taste)
The Refuge Café Roasted Chicken and Veggies
CatholicCharitiesAZ.org
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour the olive oil, red wine vinegar, herbs and garlic into a
gallon size resealable bag.
Season chicken with salt and pepper then add the
chicken, rubbing the mixture over each chicken thigh.
Let rest while you prep remaining ingredients.
Add sweet potatoes, apples and brussels sprouts to a
rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet. Drizzle about 2 tbsp.
of olive oil on the veggie/apple mixture. Season them with
salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Spread the veggies/
apples into an even layer on the baking sheet.
Place chicken on top of the veggie/apple mixture, then
sprinkle with bacon.
Roast in preheated oven until chicken has cooked through
and veggies are tender, about 30 – 35 minutes, broil
during last few minutes for more browned crispy chicken
skin.
Serve warm.
The Refuge Café at 4727 N. 7th Ave in Phoenix is a social
enterprise of Catholic Charities. Come and support our
work and enjoy delicious food and locally roasted coee!
Catholic Charities Newsletter Sta | Writer: Katryna Eastwood | Editor: Jean Christoerson | Designer: Michael Lewis
BY: JOHN STRAWN, MANAGER