Mercy in Action Stories

Empowering Mothers and Families

The future starts with mom

The moms Catholic Charities serves are among the strongest there are. Although many have carried loss, trauma, uncertainty, loneliness, these mothers nurture hope for...

Answering the Call to Serve

Seeing each other, and their community, with new eyes

Lupita (Maria) Macias, and her daughter, Julie, have witnessed how sharing a meal can build community in a way they’ve never experienced before. Lupita...

Empowering Families

Transforming suicide loss into a life-saving mission 

On the one-year anniversary of losing their son Gabriel, Carol and Brendan Deely launched Gabriel’s Light, a nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent...

Seniors & Housing

After 10 years, it still feels like family at Porta Coeli 

There’s always a pot of coffee on at Porta Coeli, a Catholic Charities senior housing community in Chicago’s South Deering neighborhood. There’s often food...

Partners in Mission

Annual Gibsons lunch builds community

Gibsons Restaurant Group staff, friends, and families served a decadent steakhouse lunch January 26 to more than 300 seniors who live in Catholic Charities...

St. Leo Residence for Veterans

Serving with compassion the men and women who served our country

Case Manager April Nickson has worked with military veterans at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s St. Leo Residence for Veterans for 15...

Partners in Mission

Service with a smile from ‘a philanthropic soul’ 

Pitias Merach has discovered his passion for service at community meals every Tuesday at Catholic Charities downtown.   “We feed the homeless, we actually serve...

In-home care for seniors, provided with support and compassion 

Beatrice and her husband, Jose, have no children or family to rely on as they age. They both face chronic health conditions that make...

Spirit of Saint Nicholas Ball celebrates the true meaning of Christmas

The Spirit of Saint Nicholas Ball on Friday, December 6 was a celebration of generosity and the true spirit of Christmas, with over 700...

Achieving goals she once only dreamed of  

Ashley was a single mom working odd jobs to make ends meet. When she learned about Catholic Charities’ Family Self-Sufficiency Program, she was nervous...