May 14, 2013
Sign up for ONE or ALL of the Bridges to Circles Community Events taking place this Summer! Contact Haley Richards for more information (850) 429-7296, ext. 2 or email richardsh@cc.ptdiocese.org.
Catholic Charities Bridges to Circles initiative hosts a community assessment offering an opportunity for citizens and local leaders to interact with poverty experts. The community assessment is an essential component of the 15 week Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’ by World course. During the assessment, individuals from the community join with course participants in [...]
April 23, 2013
Catholic Charities Bridges to Circles will host a Bridges Out of Poverty training to engage people of all classes, races, sectors, and political persuasions in the work of ending poverty and building communities where everyone can live well. The application of Bridges constructs provides an accurate mental model of poverty and class, a [...]
April 22, 2013
Each month the Tallahassee Regional Office will highlight a different staff member. This month we are looking at Barbara Cesar, case manager in the Refugee Social Services Program. Barbara Lola Cesar joined Catholic Charities in January of 2013 as a Refugee Case Manager. Barbara graduated with her Bachelors of International Affairs from Florida State [...]
April 10, 2013
Congratulations to our intern Tiffany Ross, who will be serving as a missionary at an orphanage in Honduras for the next two years. We know you will continue to do great things as you serve the children at “Farm of the Child!” Our prayers are with you.
March 27, 2013
Imagine how different our community and nation would be if we decided to END POVERTY! Bridges to Circles is designed to build enough relationships across economic class lines in our community to cause social and policy change. The Weekly Community meeting provided the Bridges to Circles community with the opportunity to build stronger relationships by [...]
March 25, 2013
Sign up for ONE or ALL of the Bridges to Circles Community Events taking place this Spring! Contact Haley Richards for more information (850) 429-7296 or email richardsh@cc.ptdiocese.org.
March 19, 2013
The 2013 Tallahassee Catholic Charities Golf Tournament was a great success. We want to extend a big thank you to all of our sponsors and to all of our dedicated golfers. A wonderful time was had by all! Bishop Parkes joined us for the event. He is pictured below with his team “Holy Smokes”. The second [...]
March 15, 2013
The Catholic Charities Golf Tournament in Tallahassee is here! We will be teeing of on Monday (March 11). This is the last day to register for the event. See the flyer below for details. We hope to see you there.
February 26, 2013
Corned beef and cabbage will be on the menu at the Magnolia Grill on Sunday, March 17, when the restaurant hosts a special St. Patrick’s Day event benefitting Catholic Charities and the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast. The “Raisin’ of the Green” fundraiser will take place from noon to 4 p.m., and will feature [...]
February 11, 2013
We are blessed at Catholic Charities Tallahassee to currently have four wonderful interns assisting us in our mission. We wanted to take this moment to recognize and thank them for all of their hard work and dedication. We would not be able to do the good work that we do here without the assistance of these [...]
According to the U.S. Census, over 15 percent of Americans lives below the poverty line. However, this statistic does not capture the true costs of poverty. It does not portray the individual stories that are so common among low-income neighborhoods, nor does it convey poverty’s impact on families, businesses or communities. The Cost of [...]
PENSACOLA–Bridges to Circles graduated 7 from the Getting Ahead training on December 18, 2012 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Ave Maria Hall in Pensacola. This graduation marked the completion of class #14 for the Bridges to Circles initiative and brings the total of graduates to over 200 since this initiative launched in 2008. Getting Ahead [...]
December 27, 2012
Staff from the Fort Walton Beach regional office recently made a special delivery to Crestview. Read all about it in this article from the Crestview News Bulletin: http://www.crestviewbulletin.com/faith/faith-news/catholic-charities-brings-toy-distribution-to-crestview-1.67963
December 20, 2012
Bridges to Circles of Bay County has been instrumental in changing the lives of low-income residents in the Bay County area for the past year. Adults in Bridges have been actively attempting to journey out of their struggling circumstances and attain self-sustainability. For some, this has meant going back to school to attain their GED or going back to college [...]
“One Step at a Time” was the theme for the second Bridges to Circles of Bay County class to complete the ”Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’-By World” course. A celebration took place on November 15, 2012 to commemorate the end of this first phase of the Bridges to Circles Initiative. ”Getting Ahead” participants are motivated to [...]
December 17, 2012
Are YOU Ready for Change? Are YOU Self-Motivated? Are YOU Goal Driven? If YOU Answered YES Come Get Ahead! Next Getting Ahead Orientations*: February 26, 2013 6:00-7:30 pm Location: TBA *Must attend Orientation to be eligible for taking Getting Ahead training* Register for Getting Ahead Orientation Contact: Estella Lee Bridges to Circles coach (850) [...]
December 5, 2012
A band of dedicated volunteers worked like Santa’s elves to design and build an amazing float for the Fort Walton Beach Christmas parade. The parade theme was “My Favorite Christmas Movie,” and the Fort Walton Beach regional office chose to represent “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Our theme was “Every time a bell rings, an angel [...]
November 29, 2012
Christmas is upon us once again. Catholic Charities of Tallahassee officially opened The Christmas Connection Program with a site blessing and a luncheon. Father Nicholas Schumm from St. Thomas the Apostle blessed the site. Representatives from many agencies were in attendance. Christmas Connection aims to assist 500 families during the upcoming Christmas season. Please check [...]
November 28, 2012
The Bridges to Circles poverty initiative is offering an opportunity for the community to interact with poverty experts. The community assessment is an essential component of the Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’ by World course. During the assessment, individuals like you from the community join with the course participants in evaluating eight crucial areas [...]
November 21, 2012
The Fort Walton Beach regional office will close at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 21 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The office will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 26. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
November 20, 2012
The Catholic Charities Tallahassee staff got together at Buca di Beppo in Governor’s Square Mall to celebrate both the holiday season and Jack Keillor’s birthday. Looking at the pictures below, you can see a good time was had by all. We would also like to wish all of Tallahassee and the surrounding counties a Very [...]
November 8, 2012
Bishop Gregory Parkes announced today that the parishes throughout the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee will hold a special collection at all Masses on November 10 and 11 for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Click here to read the bishop’s letter concerning the collection: Special Collection You can also donate by clicking on the Donate Now button at the top of [...]
November 6, 2012
LIMITED SPACE REMAINING TO EXPERIENCE A UNIQUE EVENT -Bridges to Circles is having a poverty simulation on Thursday, November 15, 2012 with check-in starting at 5:00 pm and simulation with debriefing from 5:30-7:30 pm. Location: Asbury Place at Cokesbury United Methodist Church, 5725 N 9th Avenue, Pensacola, FL. During a poverty simulation, participants role-play the [...]
PENSACOLA, FL–Have you been asking yourself What is Bridges to Circles? If so sign up today for a Bridges to Circles 101 informational session scheduled for November 2012. This one hour session will provide you answers through an overview of the Bridges to Circles model and offer opportunities for you to solve poverty in Escambia [...]
November 1, 2012
On October 4 we shared an evening with Bishop Parkes and Mark Shriver (author and son of Sargent Shriver). The event was a great success! Hundreds of people came out to hear Mr. Shriver share his father’s story. It was nice to have a fundraiser that really tied into the mission of Catholic Charities of [...]
October 24, 2012
More than 200 people were on hand to celebrate the inaugural Dogwood Gala at the Hurlburt Field Soundside Club on October 5. The event, which benefitted the Fort Walton Beach regional office’s programs, spotlighted the good work of the staff and volunteers of the agency, and highlighted the many people who have been helped over [...]
October 22, 2012
Congratulations to a couple of Bay County’s new homeowners! Corey McGee and Lisa Hardy recently moved into a home they can finally call their own. It has been a long road for this couple who has been struggling to move out of poverty. Corey and Lisa decided over two years ago that they wanted something better for themselves and their daughter, [...]
October 19, 2012
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas Connection is on the way! Oh what joy it will bring to ALL in need, beginning Monday, November 26, 2012. Christmas Connection’s site will again be at the former Goody’s location in the Tallahassee Mall! (Thank you, Steven Darby, General Manager of Tallahassee Mall!)
October 18, 2012
Gather your family, friends on November 3, 2012 from 9:30 am-1:00 pm, University of West Florida and join H. Britt Landrum, Jr., Grand Marshall, in a walk to help children find an adoptive family and to celebrate adoption during National Adoption Month!! Last year hundreds of children from Northwest Florida were adopted from the foster care system or [...]
October 8, 2012
PENSACOLA, FL–Have you been asking yourself What is Bridges to Circles? If so mark your calendar for a Bridges to Circles 101 informational session scheduled for November 2012. This one hour session will provide you answers through an overview of the Bridges to Circles model and offer opportunities for you to solve poverty in [...]
EXPERIENCE A UNIQUE EVENT-Bridges to Circles is having a poverty simulation on Thursday, November 15, 2012 with check-in starting at 5:00 pm and simulation with debriefing from 5:30-7:30 pm. Location: Asbury Place at Cokesbury United Methodist Church. During a poverty simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families, from single parents trying to care for their [...]
October 3, 2012
PENSACOLA, FL–30th Annual Jewel of the Gulf Gala Saturday, October 13, 2012 at New World Landing. The event will support Catholic Charities to carry out the social mission of the Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida to serve, to empower, and to advocate for vulnerable families and individuals of any race, religion, or national origin through [...]
October 2, 2012
2012 Tallahassee Crop Walk Sunday, November 11, 2012 2:00 pm Lake Ella Park More Information
September 27, 2012
In addition to providing basic emergency assistance to those families in need of shelter, rent or mortgage, utilities, prescription and / or food assistance, Catholic Charities has always networked and partnered with many other agencies in the community. One such agency is Refuge House, an emergency and transitional facility for victims of domestic and sexual [...]
September 26, 2012
Click below to listen to our new radio advertisement for the upcoming Mark Shriver event on October 4. Catholic Charities_Mark Shriver_091712mx For more information on the event click on the link below to view the flyer. Event Flyer
September 21, 2012
In an ongoing effort to provide help and hope to Florida Panhandle individuals and families adversely affected by the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in 2010, Executive Director Mark Dufva of Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida announced a new jobs initiative today known as Spirit Works. Read Full Story Here!
September 13, 2012
Please join us on October 4 in Tallahassee for an evening with Bishop Parkes and Mark Shriver. We now have a Facebook page promoting this special event. We would love to see you there! Click the link below. An Evening with Bishop Parkes and author Mark Shriver
September 11, 2012
The Girl Scouts Council of the Florida Panhandle has selected Catholic Charities as its charity of choice to benefit from the 2012 Fall Product Program, which begins on Sep. 15. The nuts and candy donation program benefits Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida food banks across the Gulf Coast. Girl Scouts will begin taking orders on [...]
Please Help!!!! The food pantry at the Catholic Charities office in Tallahassee is dangerously low! Non-perishable food items or gift cards are desperately needed! For more info call 222-2180 and speak with Nancy. God Bless You!
September 6, 2012
Photo Courtesy of churchworldservice.org Join us at Lake Ella Park for the 2012 Tallahassee Crop Hunger Walk! This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year and provides much-needed direct food assistance for some of Tallahassee’s most needy individuals. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 11th at 2:00 PM. The [...]
Bridges to Circles of Bay County is seeking volunteers to work with individuals/families attempting to move out of poverty. As an ally, you will help people as they work on thier goals to self-sufficiency. All perspective Allies must complete Ally 101 before being matched with a family trying to move out of poverty & ALL volunteers for Bridges [...]
September 5, 2012
Hot Off the Presses! The Bridges to Circles Pensacola initiative along with community partners Sacred Heart Health Systems and Prosper Pensacola were profiled this month in a Catholic Health World magazine article. Click on the link to read about the innovative and collaborative efforts being done to change our community: http://www.chausa.org/CHWorld. Get involved by contacting Haley [...]
August 27, 2012
Bridges to Circles Weekly Community Meeting has been cancelled for Tuesday, August 28, 2012 due to Isaac. Bridges to Circles will resume Weekly Community Meetings next Tuesday, September, 4, 2012 depending on storm effects. Stay Safe!
August 24, 2012
Each month the Tallahassee Regional Office will highlight a different staff member. This month we are starting things off with Cecille Lucero, our immigration attorney. Cecille joined Catholic Charities in 2011 as Immigration Attorney and Program Coordinator for the Knight Foundation Citizenship Program. Cecille graduated with her Juris Doctorate from Florida State University College of [...]
August 22, 2012
Save the Date October 13, 2012 for Pensacola”s 30th Annual Jewel of the Gulf Gala at New World Landing! This annual fundraiser supports programs in Escambia & Santa Rosa Counties which help those in need. For more information on this year’s event including ticket prices, auction and entertainment visit: http://ccnwfl.org/30th-annual-jewel-of-the-gulf-gala-pensacola/.
Bay County residents were able to get a glimpse into the life of a person living in poverty as they participated in a poverty simulation hosted by Bridges to Circles of Bay County, a Catholic Charities Initiative, in Panama City. The event was held at Grace Presbyterian Church on August 21st and was an eye-opening experience for many that participated. [...]
August 16, 2012
Have you picked up your copy of the Independent News today? The BRIDGING THE GAP article published in this weeks Independent News shares experiences from a recent Poverty Simulation, the impact of Bridges to Circles on a Circle Leader and highlights the work of other local efforts working to move people to economic stability in Escambia County, Florida. [...]
August 15, 2012
This two hour session presents an overview of the Bridges to Circles poverty initiative and begins to equip the individual to serve as an ally for an individual (Circle Leader) moving from poverty to self-sufficiency. 2-3 Allies commit to build intentional relationships with a Circle Leader twice a month at the Weekly Community Meetings and [...]
August 7, 2012
Catholic Charities Tallahassee is proud to welcome Mark Shriver, son of Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and we invite you to be a part of his appearance through your sponsorship and support. The event will take place October 4, 2012 at St Thomas More Catholic Church. There will be an invitation-only private reception followed by [...]
August 6, 2012
Bridges to Circles uses the concepts found in Bridges Out of Poverty[Bridges] to engage people of all classes, races, sectors, and political persuasions in the work of ending poverty and building communities where everyone can live well. Bridges provide a common language for Guiding Coalitions, Allies, and Circle Leaders. The application of Bridges constructs provides [...]
July 30, 2012
Katherine Kowalski, a rising sophomore at Navarre High School, recently donated nearly $600 worth of groceries and other merchandise to the Fort Walton Beach office’s food pantry. She paid for the items with money she saved from baby-sitting. Thank you, Katherine! You are a real inspiration to all of us!
Flight of the Butterfly By: Yvonne Haynes, Getting Ahead Graduate It’s no secret that we all must crawl before we walk. Some of our journey are traveled over terrain which can be rougher that others. We then cover ourselves, sometimes for warmth and comfort, sometimes for protection and growth, but once we remove our coverings [...]
July 23, 2012
Getting Ahead Graduates & Facilitators July 10, 2012 Graduation Bridges to Circles graduated 6 from the Getting Ahead training on July 10, 2012 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Ave Maria Hall in Pensacola. This graduation marked the completion of class #13 for the Bridges to Circles initiative and brings the total of graduates [...]
July 3, 2012
This two hour session presents an overview of the Bridges to Circles poverty initiative and begins to equip the individual to serve as an ally for an individual (Circle Leader) moving from poverty to self-sufficiency. 2-3 Allies commit to build intentional relationships with a Circle Leader twice a month at the Weekly Community Meetings [...]
Bridges to Circles uses the concepts found in Bridges Out of Poverty[Bridges] to engage people of all classes, races, sectors, and political persuasions in the work of ending poverty and building communities where everyone can live well. Bridges provide a common language for Guiding Coalitions, Allies, and Circle Leaders. The application of Bridges constructs provides [...]
June 19, 2012
Celebrate World Refugee Day with us this Friday! The event will be held this Friday (June 22) at The Leon Human Services Center (1000 West Tharpe St.) from 11AM to 12:30 PM. There will be guest speakers with real life stories and an array of food [...]
June 12, 2012
The Fort Walton Beach office of Catholic Charities was one of the beneficiaries of the annual Letter Carriers Food Drive in May. The food pantry was blessed with hundreds of pounds of non-perishable food items to help feed people in need. The pantry, which is located in the old St. Mary Church building on [...]
June 6, 2012
The Fort Walton Beach regional office of Catholic Charities invites you to “save the date” for our upcoming Celebration of Caring Charity Gala on October 5 at the Hurlburt Soundside Club. We have an exciting evening planned, so keep watching as more details become available. If you would like to participate in planning our event, or [...]
Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida’s Fort Walton Beach office is excited to bring “Painting with a Twist” to Okaloosa County! Painting with a Twist is a fun-filled, two-hour “class” that allows even the most artistically challenged person to paint their version of a delightful work of art. Everything you need to paint your masterpiece is [...]
June 5, 2012
Bridges to Circles asks you to SAVE THE DATE, JULY 31ST for the next POVERTY SIMULATION at WATERFRONT RESCUE MISSION. This event is designed to help local community members better understand the realities of poverty. The goal is to provide a greater awareness of its impact, including the complexities, frustrations and everyday realities of living in [...]
May 29, 2012
We are pleased to announce our 4th Annual Christmas Connection Tennis Tournament. The event will take place on Saturday, June 16 at Forrest Meadows Tennis Facility. All proceeds will benefit Christmas Connection and Catholic Charities Programs. Please click on the link below to download the registration form. The deadline for registration is June 15. [...]
This two hour session presents an overview of the Bridges to Circles poverty initiative and begins to equip the individual to serve as an ally for an individual (Circle Leader) moving from poverty to self-sufficiency. 2-3 Allies commit to build intentional relationships with a Circle Leader twice a month at the Weekly Community Meetings and [...]
Bridges to Circles uses the concepts found in Bridges Out of Poverty[Bridges] to engage people of all classes, races, sectors, and political persuasions in the work of ending poverty and building communities where everyone can live well. Bridges provide a common language for Guiding Coalitions, Allies, and Circle Leaders. The application of Bridges constructs [...]
May 8, 2012
Planning for the 2012 Jewel of the Gulf Gala has begun! Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 13, 2012. More details to follow soon!
May 2, 2012
Please join us on May 16, 2012 for Catholic Charities Twice Treasured Thrift Store OPEN HOUSE! We are very excited to welcome our community in to see all of the changes in our stores. We have saved some wonderful “finds” for our loyal customers! If you love thrifting, you won’t want to miss our open [...]
May 1, 2012
In light of the several major disasters that have greatly impacted the Northwest Florida coastal counties over the past seven years, economic stability is giving cause for great concern. The back to back catastrophic Hurricanes, Ivan and Dennis, the enormous number of families that migrated to Florida’s gulf coast region from Mississippi and Louisiana following [...]
First “Getting Ahead” class of the Bridges to Circles of Bay County Initiative. Also pictured are Class Facilitator Naomi Sharp and Community Organizer Barbara Moore Bridges to Circles (BTC) of Bay County’s First “Getting Ahead in Just Gettin-By’ World” Graduating class held their ceremony on April 26, 2012. The class is designed to help people help [...]
April 30, 2012
RENAISSANCE COMMUNITY CENTER More than 40 businesses helped build one-stop center to assist Tallahassee’s homeless More than 40 private organizations, businesses and foundations contributed to the construction and development of this $1.2 million project. Mad Dog Construction, Moore Bass Engineering, DodStone Architects and many others provided in-kind professional services and donated work, supplies and materials. [...]
April 28, 2012
What God Creates, We Help Complete – A Beautiful, Loving Family Our Adoption Program has placed over 700 babies into loving homes for over 50 years Our son chose well. When faced with a very difficult decision, all the values that he had grown up with kicked in–the sanctity of life, the tradition of [...]
Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida is pleased to be able to announce some very exciting news. With the gracious offer of Msg.Mike Cherup, from St. Mary’s Catholic Church, to lease the Old St. Mary’s Church a restoration project was started on the interior and exterior of the church. The project involve installing a new roof, [...]
Neil Dufva and his wonderful team at Crunchy Logistics get the first Angel’s Wings Award for their amazing work on this new Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida website. We appreciate all your help Neil and thank you for all you have done to help us make this dream a reality. Need help with your website? Go to: http://crunchylogistics.com/
April 23, 2012
Date: June 16th, 2012 Time: TBD Address: TBD Contact Information:
Catholic Charities announces the launch of the new Mental Health Counseling Program at all four regional offices across the diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. “It has long been our desire to serve all of our communities with this program,” stated Mark Dufva, Executive Director. We are now blessed with the opportunity to make this a reality.
Christmas Connection tries to fulfill the wishes and some of the basic needs of hundreds of needy families in Northwest Florida each holiday season. We want to deliver toys for their children, food for their table and a little joy to their homes. Christmas Connection is an initiative of Catholic Charities, but it serves families [...]
April 22, 2012
Planning for the 2012 Jewel of the Gulf Gala has begun! Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 13, 2012. More details to follow soon! 2012 Jewel of the Gulf Gala
April 21, 2012
Ellen Buelow recognized for refugee transition program and advocacy efforts. Alexandria, Va. – Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), one of the nation’s leading human services organizations, today announced the winner of its 2012 National Volunteer of the Year Award: Ellen Buelow of Albuquerque, NM. “Ellen is an outstanding volunteer and a fine example of the [...]
April 20, 2012
20% off sale! Everything in the store must go! Call this number or here is a picture of the map for directions.
The top strategic priority is marketing and communications. Our priests, parishes and community at-large have little to no idea what Catholic Charities does. This must and will change. Carole Bayer, Diocesan Board Secretary from Gulf Breeze has agreed to chair this area. She is already hard at work and provided a terrific report at our [...]
Strategic Planning The future will look back to 2006 as a critical turning point in the history of the organization. It marks the first year of new leadership at each regional office and the initiation of a strategic planning process that clarified regional and diocesan board roles, relationships, governance and future direction. Aligning our boards [...]
Council on Accreditation (COA) A major milestone occurred last Friday Nov. 10 with the submission of our self-study to COA in New York. Everyone in this organization needs to be congratulated on your contributions to building a “Culture of Quality”. A special thanks goes to Terry Bush for shepherding us through this development. In addition [...]
