(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – A new strategic plan for Catholic Charities of Chicago will mean a reduction in its footprint in government contracts and the loss of a few hundred jobs.
Catholic Charities President and CEO Sally Blount said it’s all about focusing more on the organization’s parish-based programs on the Southwest Side.
In July, Catholic Charities will phase out of 75 government contracts.
“What used to be some small budget gaps in some of those contracts have grown to be big ones, so this is wise stewardship on our part,” Blount said.
Catholic Charities said the reduction in government contract work will mean laying off about 300 workers. Blount says she’s trying to help find new jobs for those people.
“We’ve got 100 jobs ourselves in other parts that they can apply for. Our sister organizations. I was on the phone with Fr. Jack Clair at Miseracordia. He has 300 jobs,” she said.
Catholic Charities will rely more on private funding but will still work with governments to provide services to people, she said.
She says an example of one program she’d like to expand involves low-income mothers.
“We have this amazing program up in Lake County where we walk with single mothers for five years to teach them financial skills, to teach them parenting skills, especially for single-parents. We want to expand that program and we want to bring it into Cook County.”
Blount says Catholic Charities learned many things during the COVID-19 pandemic, including how to pivot and respond more quickly to new needs. She cites Catholic Charities efforts to get people vaccinated.
She says the organization pivoted again when Chicago began seeing an influx of migrants from Texas.
Blount says Catholic Charities has helped resettled 20,000 of the 36,000 migrants that have come through Chicago.
Catholic Charities will continue to have an annual budget of $175 million to $200 million.
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