Surge of Happiness
Back in November, the Development staff sat around a conference table, going over the logistics of holiday volunteering and in-kind giving. Clara, our Community Engagement Manager, had been overseeing the collection of food for families so they could make Thanksgiving dinner. She announced she had a confession. A man had called her earlier in the…
Once a Client, Now a Volunteer
Talking to our volunteer Linda is one of the most fun things you can do here at Catholic Social Services – other than helping her keep the St. Francis House Food Pantry running, which is what she does. Linda has been a dedicated volunteer for the last four years, coming in Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until…
Always a Hand to Offer
Terry is the mom of five adopted children, ages eleven to five. Actually, there are two five-year-old boys – twins – and one of them has a disability. You can tell she adores her kids. Crayon self-portraits are taped up on the sliding door, which opens to their back porch, and pages from their homework…
Your Story Matters
Every person has a story. Sometimes we don’t realize, however, that what’s happened to us – or because of us – is phenomenal or that even the mundane is meaningful. In fact, it’s actually quite common to take the events of our own lives for granted. Maybe we’re busy. Maybe we think other people have…
Phillip Found Hope
So many people’s homelessness begins with the death of a loved one. Cancer. Car accident. Suicide. Tragedy can strike us all. The person closest to the deceased is left reeling, and we each cope with grief differently. Phillip’s wife passed in 2010. He looks you in the eyes when he says that. She had a…
Children Are Our Future and Our Hope
Did you know November 17 is National Adoption Day? Our Pregnancy Support & Adoption Services program helps children, mothers, fathers, and families – no matter where they are in the foster care or adoption process or whether they are the biological or adoptive families. We offer a loving hand to anyone navigating these difficult decisions….
The Woman Who Greets You
Rachel welcomes everyone who comes in the doors of Catholic Social Services’ main location. If you don’t know her name, you should. You’ll definitely know her face. She’s got a big smile and bright eyes. You can tell Rachel is kind-hearted and humble when you talk to her as she sits behind the front desk in…
We Are the Kindness
Annette gave her bike to an Alaskan completing her first Ironman-length triathlon, Tiffany. It seemed that a series of unfortunate events would keep both women from finishing their races. But Annette’s act of kindness helped Tiffany finish. So far their story has touched more than 25,000 people in 13 countries. Read the Anchorage Daily News’…
Changing Her Future
Walking into a shelter for the first time can be intimidating. At Clare House, our case managers make it easier, though. They connect clients to services and help hem navigate the path moving forward. One of the best things our case managers offer is employment assistance. They work with clients to find jobs that enable…
Instinctual Kindess
St. Francis House is always buzzing with people. Volunteers stock the warehouse. Clients shop the food pantry. Combined, more than 150 people come into St. Francis House each day. No matter how they’re connected to the food pantry, their lives are changed. In the summer of 2018, a woman named Joy joined the volunteer crew…