CATHOLIC CHARITIES
2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Rosey came to Minnesota almost five years ago with one bag of belongings and nowhere to live. She looked for temporary shelter only to be told over and over that there were no beds available. But when Rosey came to Catholic Charities’ Dorothy Day Place, it was different.

At first, Rosey spent nights in the Higher Ground Saint Paul Shelter where Catholic Charities provides space for 356 men and women each night.

Next Rosey transitioned to permanent housing right upstairs. With the stability provided by a consistent place to sleep, Rosey was able to work at a local factory. That is, until the arthritis in her knees made it unbearable for her to stand in place for a full shift.

Grateful for the physical and mental grounding of a home, Rosey knew that even if she couldn’t work, she could take steps to improve her life and her health. Rosey stayed active walking and swimming every day and cooked healthy vegetarian meals to feed her soul.

In 2020, the surge in homelessness and added COVID-19 precautions stretched our resources. But we were still able to be here for our neighbors like Rosey offering safety, stability, meals, health support, and more. When the pandemic first hit, we quickly adapted our services and operations to keep staff and guests safe. As we began administering vaccinations at our sites in spring 2021, only 1% of our housing, shelter, and drop-in clients had tested positive for COVID-19.

“With all of the transitions that have taken place over the last five years to complete our vision for the Dorothy Day Place campus, then to be hit by a worldwide pandemic, I can tell you our guests are resilient. They are survivors,” said Douglas Mackbee, Program Manager at Catholic Charities’ Dorothy Day Place. “The collaboration between our staff and our residents is what made the community safe through the pandemic.”

As for Rosey, her smile lights up the room even with a face mask on. “I’m just living my life. I’m not going to let anything get in my way,” she beamed. “I might not have but 50 cents in my pocket but my room is a penthouse to me. I come in, I lock the door, and I am at peace. I am safe at home.”

When Larry was just three years old he announced he was going to be a CEO when he grew up. At Catholic Charities’ Northside Childhood Development Center, staff nourish Larry’s dream so it can become a reality.

Northside Childhood Development Center serves Minneapolis families using a two-generational approach. Northside provides children with early childhood education, early prevention and intervention and before- and after-school care. At the same time, staff offer programming for parents like support groups and family visiting.

When former Catholic Charities’ President and CEO, Tim Marx, heard about Larry’s big dream, Tim took Larry under his wing for an afternoon at his office. There, Larry got to be CEO for a day. Larry sat behind Tim’s big desk and even made an executive decision—about snacks.

Catholic Charities has also been there for Larry’s family when times were tougher.

Larry was only two years old when he and his four-month-old brother, Leelen, lost their father to gun violence. Northside was there for the boys and their mother, Darcel, as they navigated that devastating loss. Larry and Leelen went to Northside’s daycare and staff took up a collection to help Darcel who was suddenly raising a toddler and an infant alone.

Northside was there for the family during the COVID-19 pandemic, too.

In March 2020 Darcel was an essential worker, so she didn’t have the option of keeping the boys at home when lockdown orders were put in place. Northside staff made sure Larry and Leelan had all the tools they needed for distance learning by managing their technology, schedules, and assignments.

Noticing that Larry had trouble focusing at first, staff even referred Larry to Washburn Center for Children where he was diagnosed with a learning disability. Once Larry received his diagnosis, he was able to get the medications and support he needed to stay on track.

Darcel knows that both of her sons have the opportunity to dream big and do well in life because of their experience at Northside.

“Northside is amazing. It’s so much more than a daycare. They go above and beyond to make life more manageable and possible for families. They provide a positive and peaceful environment,” Darcel gushed. “I will be so sad when my boys age out of the program. But I know they are going to have a better future than others in our community because of Northside.”