The goals of Catholic Charities’ work are to alleviate hunger, strengthen communities, transform homelessness, guide children and teens, protect the aging, and assist immigrants and refugees. Our work is offered in the context of promoting human dignity and is centered on the belief that everyone has the right to basic, fundamental, life-sustaining services, including food and shelter. Individuals and families are provided assistance so they can overcome their hardships and set achievable goals toward self-reliant futures. Making a long-term, positive impact on individuals, families and communities is the guiding principle of the agency's undertakings. The ultimate goal of the agency's programs and services is to address chronic poverty and guide clients toward long-term stability, while meeting their emergency needs and, ultimately, transforming their lives.

Catholic Charities professionally, compassionately, and in multiple languages, serves people of all cultures, ethnicity, backgrounds and faiths. Programs and services offered at 18 community centers and eight homeless shelters are designed to alleviate hunger, strengthen communities, transform homelessness, guide children and teens, protect the aging, and assist immigrants and refugees. Clients are offered basic needs such as food, clothing, rental and utilities' assistance and supportive services including: educational classes; ESL; financial literacy; tutoring and mentoring; adult education; GED; parenting workshops; job coaching; homeless prevention; senior support; legal assistance; child abuse prevention; and linkages to other sources of community support. Through the agency’s nearly 50 programs in the three-county area, Catholic Charities delivers, on average, over 870,000 emergency and supportive services to more than 116,000 unduplicated, low-income individuals each year.

Since 1919, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc. has responded to the needs of children, men, women, and elderly who are marginalized, hungry, homeless and poor -- providing for their needs, improving their lives, enhancing their dignity, and supporting long-term stability. Over the years, Catholic Charities has earned an impressive track record of delivering effectively managed programs and services for the needy and disadvantaged in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. At 18 community centers and eight homeless shelters/residences, Catholic Charities delivers its critical work of providing help and creating hope for those in need, regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs. Additionally, Catholic Charities' staff are highly diverse and are representative of the underserved communities in which they serve.

The agency's Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) evaluates each program and conducts an independent review process to analyze evidence that: (1) the client is engaged in his/her plan in terms of goal setting; (2) adequate support and guidance is provided for that plan; (3) sufficient progress is made toward goals; and (4) essential follow-up is pursued by staff. All programmatic activities are tracked and evaluated at the program level, regional level, and executive level. If, at any level in the evaluation process, it is determined that improvements or changes must be made, a plan is created to effect the necessary changes. Additionally, the work of Catholic Charities, including sound fiscal management and service delivery practices, is externally validated by the Council on Accreditation. Our commitment to accountability and transparency is authenticated by the coveted and sixth consecutive 4-Star Charity rating from Charity Navigator, an independent charity evaluator.

This year, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles celebrates a Century of Compassion for the poor and vulnerable in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara. People of all cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds and faiths continue to be served compassionately, and in multiple languages, and to be guided toward growth, healing and pathways out of poverty. Guided by its mission to provide services to the poor and vulnerable, to promote human dignity and to advocate for social justice, Catholic Charities remains steadfast in its commitment to serving the needy in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. Each year, Catholic Charities delivers, on average, over 870,000 emergency and supportive services to more than 116,000 unduplicated individuals, many of whom have annual incomes way below the poverty levels. As we have since our inception, we continue to aim for sustainable, positive outcomes for individuals, families, and entire communities.