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Catholic Charities 2023 Winter Employee Newsletter

Reflecting on 2022 and Envisioning the Year Ahead

with Ricardo Cisneros, Chief Operating Officer

"2022 was a complicated yet good year. As an agency, we made market adjustments, introduced the strategic plan that will guide us into the future, and served more people than ever. As we look to a new year, the goal is always to support, with dignity and respect, the many families that depend on us. With our staff’s passionate dedication to the individuals and families we serve, we hope to be able to do just that. Please enjoy the 2022 Agency Video to see how your love impacts the journey of neighbors in need."

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Annual ADC Holiday Party

Members, volunteers, and staff at the Adult Day Center enjoyed their Christmas celebration with cookie decorating and opening presents!

Sharing Warmth and Joy

Thank you to donors, volunteers, parishes, organizations, and staff who helped our families have a warm winter! Coats, hats, mittens, scarves and new toys were collected for the children and individuals we serve.

Special thanks to St. James Parish (Franklin), Christ King Parish (Wauwatosa), United Way- Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha, St. Leonard's Catholic Church (Muskego), St. Matthias Parish (Milwaukee), Queen of Apostles Church (Pewaukee), St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Wauwatosa), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish (New Berlin), St. Luke Parish (Brookfield), Three Holy Women Catholic Parish (Milwaukee), Sheboygan North Catholic Parishes, and The McGuire Foundation. You warmed the hearts of hundreds of families this winter!

Meet Our New Staff!

Esmeralda Sandoval, Office Assistant - WAO

Esme joined Catholic Charities in December, bringing over three years of bilingual customer service and administrative experience. She was born and raised in Waukesha, WI and is a proud Mexican American, first generation in her family. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing soccer, reading, binge watching shows, traveling, and getting to try new foods (fun fact – she got a kiss from a shark in Cancun!). Esme has always been fond of helping people, as it brings her happiness. Joining the Agency has been a life changing step in her life. Her favorite thing about working at Catholic Charities is “being able to not only interact, but also help the people that walk into our establishment.”

Ashley Ong, Mental Health Professional - RAO

Ashley initially started with Catholic Charities in August as an Art Therapy intern while attending Mount Mary University. In December, she accepted the role of Mental Health Professional and is supporting clients in both Milwaukee and Racine! Ashley is currently finishing up her Master of Science in Art Therapy and will transition to Racine full time after graduation. When asked what she loves about working at the Agency, she said, “The culture within the agency promotes kindness, cultural humility, and community – these are the values that are important in my work as a mental health professional and day-to-day life experiences.” In her free time, Ashley enjoys cooking, creating sculptures, and spending time with loved ones.

Naser Sohail, Paralegal - RIS

In November, Naser joined our Refugee and Immigration Services program as a Paralegal. His professional background includes eight years of experience working as an attorney, judge, and lecturer in Afghanistan. He can communicate in Persian, Dari, and Pashto. When asked what he is looking forward to most about working at Catholic Charities, he said, “I am excited for the opportunity to be part of a team that increases awareness of the law, especially immigration laws.”

Hannah Cochran, Mental Health Professional - FDL/SAO

Hannah is currently finishing up her Master of Social Work from the University of Oshkosh. She joined Catholic Charities in September as a Therapy Intern and accepted the role of Mental Health Professional in December! Hannah supports clients in both Fond du Lac and Sheboygan and will transition to a full-time therapist after graduating. When asked what she enjoys most about the Agency, she replied, “At Catholic Charities, I am surrounded by people who work extremely hard at what they do. Everyone is so supportive, accountable, and friendly. I find so much inspiration from my co-workers and the mission of this agency. It is true fulfillment in seeing staff work together to help empower individuals of all backgrounds to improve their mental health and achieve their emotional goals.” Hannah enjoys traveling around the country, capturing moments through photography, and listening to music and podcasts. She especially appreciates time spent with family and friends.

Yoselyn Lorenzo, Office Assistant - RAO

Yoselyn started with Catholic Charities in July as an Office Assistant in Racine but became full time in October! She brings several years of experience working in team environments and is excited to utilize her bilingual skills to help our clients. When asked what she loves about working for the Agency, she said, “I have always been the type of person who enjoyed helping others in any way I can, working at Catholic Charities allows me to do that. I had zero experience in working in an office and the staff have been so patient and kind on showing me how to do things, which I’ll always be grateful for.” In her free time, she enjoys being with friends and family and catching up on shows or movies.

Adam Rogan, Annual Giving Manager - CAO

Adam joined Catholic Charities during the holidays as our first-ever Annual Giving Manager! A native of Racine, WI, he is a graduate of St. Catherine’s High School and Drake University of Des Moines, IA, where he studied journalism and English. In 2018, he returned to Racine and has worked as a journalist and editor at The Journal Times, and has contributed to a number of other publications, including Milwaukee Magazine. He is married to Maggie, a Catholic school teacher and his high school sweetheart. They expect to welcome their first child this summer! As part of the Advancement team at Catholic Charities, Adam hopes to encourage those of all faiths to devote their time, talent, and treasure to better align with Christ’s vision for His people.

Milwaukee Magazine Feature

#GiveBackMKE

Last month, Wisconsin Philanthropy Network partnered with Milwaukee Magazine to help spread the important work of organizations in the community. Catholic Charities was once again featured in their Give Back Milwaukee campaign! A special thank you to Nancy Munoz and Barb Graham for your involvement with this project!

Congratulations, Jim!

In January, Jim Pankratz rang in his 46th year with Catholic Charities! Thank you, Jim, for your dedication of service to the individuals and families you serve and for being an uplifting member of the team. We appreciate everything you do!

Community Partner Shoutout: Adullam Outreach

Thank you to Adullam Outreach for being our partners in mission! Adullam serves the practical and spiritual needs of the community with dignity and love. Our Milwaukee Outreach staff have been able to refer individuals and families to Adullam for furniture and household items that are provided to them at no cost. In return, we have been able to assist with winter clothing items and case management services.

Pastor James Lewis & Tedricka Frazier - Outreach Case Manager

A Volunteer Provides Comfort to Mothers in Need

"After being a volunteer at Catholic Charities for nearly five years, I knew the quality of the staff and the programs, and I felt it was exactly the right place to distribute the donations from St. Joseph’s in Wauwatosa. I thought it was important to, in some way, support the women in carrying their babies through birth. So, I started running “Baby Showers” on a regular basis at my parish. If there are any parishes that aren’t involved in an activity such as this, I would be very willing to help establish a program." - Tim

Thank you, Tim and St. Joseph's, for your generosity shown to mothers in our Pregnancy & Parenting Support program! Mothers now continue to have wipes, diapers of all sizes, baby wash/powders/lotion and clothes for their baby.

With offices all over southeast Wisconsin, it's always special when our staff can be together and reconnect in person. Both the Counseling and Outreach teams met up recently to spend time together, have lunch, and to discuss important topics.

The Therapist's Retreat is dedicated to stepping out of daily work to self-reflect and to get to know each other. Program updates are discussed, and guest speakers come in to talk about treatment interventions and resources. This year’s theme and focus was understanding serving with Cultural Humility.

Cultural humility refers to a mindset and practice of self-reflection and continuous learning of both our own and another person’s unique cultural values, beliefs, and attitudes. The more we grow in this understanding and practice, the better we are able to provide service with compassion, dignity, and respect for each individual.

Community Counseling Staff

The Outreach team every so often gets together to review policies, discuss issues and trends, and to of course catchup and enjoy being in the same room. They also had a presentation on crisis and de-escalation.

Outreach Staff

Thank you all for your continued dedication to ensuring the individual's and families we serve are receiving the best possible care!

Parish Relations Updates

with Jessica Brandt, Parish Relations Coordinator

"With the support of Archbishop Listecki, I sent a survey to parishes to assess their understanding of Catholic Charities’ professional social service programs. 436 responses were received from Priests, Parish Directors, Parish Staff, Deacons, Human Concerns, St. Vincent de Paul and other parish volunteers from 90 different parishes! We are excited to share that we have received responses from each county in the Archdiocese!"

"These results will assist Catholic Charities in forming the foundation for developing educational, collaborative, and outreach strategies between Catholic Charities and the parishes of the Archdiocese, various Catholic institutions, and fraternal organizations."

The Lenten Luncheons are almost here, come join us!

Every spring, communities throughout Pewaukee, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Kenosha come together for prayer, fellowship, and a soup lunch to honor Archbishop Listecki’s Treasures of the Church award recipients. These luncheons shine a light on the many acts of kindness and good works by the awardees and the mission of Catholic Charities to serve neighbors in need.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Jessica at jbrandt@ccmke.org or ext. 3414.

Clarita Wesley (right) - Outreach Case Manager at the 2022 Sheboygan Lenten Luncheon

We Did It!

We are proud to announce that Catholic Charities has once again received the highest rating from Charity Navigator! Our four-star rating reflects our commitment to philanthropic integrity, organizational transparency, and financial sustainability. Your good work makes this possible! Thank you ALL CC!

Have You Read Our Latest Agency Newsletter?

Read about how Hoarding client, Beth, is keeping a spark of joy in her new home, the unexpected gift of friendship, our staff having passion for service and more!

Brittney Spakowicz (right) - Hoarding Interventionist

Connect with us and help us share the good work of Catholic Charities!

Created By
Kaci Eisch
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Created with an image by psynovec - "Sunset in the wood in winter period"