By Karmen Lemke, Executive Director, Catholic Charities
January is Poverty Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the challenges faced by individuals and families who struggle to meet their basic needs. For Catholic Charities, this reflection aligns closely with our mission to serve the poor and vulnerable with compassion and respect.
Rooted in the Gospel call to love our neighbors and serve “the least among us,” Catholic Charities seeks to uphold the dignity of every human person. Guided by Catholic social teaching, the organization responds to poverty not only as an economic condition but as a human experience that affects health, family stability, education, and hope for the future. Through food assistance, housing support, counseling, workforce development, and emergency aid, Catholic Charities walks alongside those facing hardship, offering both immediate relief and long-term solutions.
Poverty Awareness Month reminds us that poverty often remains hidden in our communities — in working families living paycheck to paycheck, seniors choosing between food and medication, and children whose futures are shaped by limited opportunities. Catholic Charities addresses these challenges by meeting people where they are, regardless of background or belief, and by advocating for systems that promote justice and opportunity.
As we observe Poverty Awareness Month, we are invited to grow in awareness and compassion. By supporting Catholic Charities through prayer, volunteer service, or charitable giving, we participate in the Church’s mission of mercy. Together, we can reflect Christ’s love by caring for those in need and strengthening our communities with kindness, dignity, and hope.
Read Bishop David Ricken’s recent Pastoral Invitation and see how missionary outreach to the poor, through living the Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy, is one way to Share Jesus with others.