One source of help for all ages and stages of life
Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte sponsors food pantries across the diocese (top) and events such as the Spring Fling senior festival run by its Elder Ministry. (Troy C. Hull | Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — Five days in May provide the chance to highlight the work of an agency staffed by people who serve as the hands and feet of Christ across Western North Carolina.
May 4-8 is Catholic Charities Week, and it focuses on the ways the workers and volunteers of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte help people in need while serving as a beacon of God’s love in difficult times.
For more than 75 years, the agency has been helping thousands of people across western North Carolina deal with life’s struggles and build better futures. In 2025, Catholic Charities served 25,032 people across the 46 counties that make up the Diocese of Charlotte.
This year, rising costs of food, rent and gasoline have forced people who were already struggling to seek aid from the agency’s food pantries in Asheville, Charlotte and Winston-Salem. In 2025, the pantries distributed 413,666 pounds of food to 14,729 people in need, according to its annual report.
BROAD IMPACTS
The agency’s work has reached people of all ages facing a wide variety of challenges. About 1,000 older adults benefited from services provided by its Elder Ministry, 650 refugees continue to be supported, 139 veterans in need secured stable housing, 184 people received assistance for dignified burials, and 224 people received more than 2,400 hours of mental health counseling, the agency reported.
Catholic Charities has helped people recover from natural and spiritual storms.
Since October 2024, the agency has been a major force in the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene. Disaster relief case workers in the Asheville region have helped clients with everything from housing assistance, food and basic supplies to mental health care. The agency is collaborating with long-term recovery groups in some of the hardest hit – and most difficult to access – areas.
Since 2025, the agency repaired, rebuilt or replaced 170 homes destroyed by Helene. This past winter, the agency helped more than 250 families still living in campers to insulate them for colder weather and supplied 619 households in seven mountain counties with propane for heating.
In March, the agency gave 50 Asheville artists $5,000 grants in an ongoing effort to revitalize the River Arts District, a key piece of the city’s economic and cultural life.
“The funds were for whatever the person needed to get back to where they can create their art,” said program coordinator Grace Kunik. “Some people are using the funds for studio rent, others for supplies or to pay their mortgage so they can get back into a safe space to live and produce their work.”
HELP FOR MANY NEEDS
Catholic Charities offers help at all stages of life. Its Charlotte-based pregnancy support office helps moms and dads deal with the challenges of parenthood.
“We want to see the families be whole and we want to see healthy babies be delivered,” said Sharon W. Davis, the agency’s director of pregnancy support and adoption services. “We also continue the journey once the child has been born – the work does not end at the birth of the baby. We’re there to accompany them as long as they need our respectful and compassionate support.”
The agency’s Burial Services program, offered across the diocese, helps families who have lost a loved one. Catholic Charities partners with a network of local funeral homes to provide burial or cremation at reduced costs and offers financial assistance to families who cannot afford the full expense.
“Funeral costs keep going up, and many families come to us because they don’t have life insurance or are living paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford the costs,” said Annia Colas, who works with the program in Winston-Salem. “It’s a gratifying thing to be able to help them get services.”
Colas talked about a woman who needed help to lay her sister to rest with dignity.
For years, she cared for her sister full-time as she battled a brain tumor – putting her own life on hold to be by her side. When her sister passed away, Carolina realized she would not be able to afford even a simple funeral.
“The life insurance wasn’t enough to cover the costs,” Colas shared. “We were able to help her make payments for a cremation and a service.” Now, after years of caregiving, Carolina is back at work – entering a new chapter of her life.
NEW OFFICE
Recognizing the need to meet the demands of a growing population, a new office in Salisbury is slated to open in June. Deacon Jeff Font, the agency’s new regional director of external engagement, is connecting with parishes and community organizations to learn about local needs, which stretches from Boone and Jefferson to Albemarle.
Even before the office has opened, clients have already been served. A mother of four who was facing eviction was able to obtain rent support and has done financial planning and budgeting work with a case worker.
“We’re trying to build relationships,” Deacon Font said. “Every day I am getting the word out to our local parishes about the programs and services we offer to those in need. I am also connecting with other local and regional organizations to ensure that if someone needs a service that is outside of our scope, we can direct them to another organization that can help them directly. And I want other organizations to be able to do the same thing with us. We all offer unique programs so that as a community we can collectively address the needs of those less fortunate. More information about the new Salisbury office will be available in the coming weeks.”
— Christina Lee Knauss
How you can help
Your donations enable Catholic Charities to serve people in need across the diocese. Donations can be made online at www.ccdoc.org or by mail to Catholic Charities, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203-4003.
Need assistance?
Catholic Charities offers services to people across western North Carolina. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or reach out to your local Catholic Charities office:
Asheville: 828-255-0146
Charlotte: 704-370-3262
Greensboro: 336-288-1984
Lenoir: 828-434-5710
Murphy: 828-835-3535
North Wilkesboro: 828-434-5710
Winston-Salem: 336-727-0705
People who need assistance can also call 2-1-1 to find up-to-date information on community services that may be available. 2-1-1 helps connect people to information about food pantries, medical resources and possible changes to government benefits.
Endowments benefit Catholic Charities and its vital work throughout the Diocese of Charlotte
The diocese has 25 endowments in the Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte that people can support to benefit Catholic Charities. They have a market value of more than $7.8 million.
- Catholic Charities Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of this diocesan ministry across the western half of North Carolina
- Catholic Charities Asheville Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of the ministry in Asheville
- Catholic Charities Burial Assistance Endowment Fund: provides for the burial assistance program in Mecklenburg County
- Catholic Charities Charlotte Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of the ministry in Charlotte
- Catholic Charities Refugee Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of this ministry across the western half of North Carolina
- Catholic Charities Winston-Salem Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of this ministry in Winston-Salem
- Bishop William G. Curlin Endowment Fund for the Poor: benefits the poor in the Diocese of Charlotte
- Marion Michael and Mary Ann DeMelfy Endowment Fund: provides support for the elderly in parishes in Hickory and those west of Hickory through Catholic Charities
- FFHL Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Endowment Fund: provides financial support for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte
- Maureen Reinehr Gigler Endowment Fund: provides for diocesan multicultural ministry needs in the western half of North Carolina
- Elizabeth Grace Endowment Fund: provides for the programmatic needs of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte
- Granzow Family Endowment Fund: provides for Catholic Charities to serve the poor
- Aurelia I. Guffey Catholic Charities Endowment Fund: provides for the programmatic needs of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte
- Peter J. and Catherine P. Hickey Endowment Fund: provides for the adoption programs of Catholic Charities
- Lawrence and Patricia Hollett Family Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of Catholic Charities in Winston-Salem
- Marcaccio Family St. Anthony Bread Endowment Fund: provides for St. Pius X Catholic Church and Catholic Charities Piedmont and Asheville Offices
- Robert H. Moeller Memorial Endowment Fund: provides housing- related financial assistance for the elderly across the western half of North Carolina
- John S. Monahan Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of Catholic Charities in Charlotte
- John and Marlene Olenick Endowment Fund: provides for the pregnancy support services of Catholic Charities Piedmont/Triad
- George and Jane Pfaff Endowment Fund: provides for program needs of Catholic Charities within the Diocese of Charlotte
- San Lorenzo Ruiz Philippine Heritage Endowment Fund: provides for the unrestricted general needs and for the refugee/immigrant assistance of Catholic Charities in Charlotte
- Sarmiento-Lang Family Endowment Fund: benefits Catholic Charities pregnancy support services
- Lee and Allan Thurbee Memorial Endowment Fund: provides financial support for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte
- Kathleen A. Troy Memorial Endowment Fund: provides for burial assistance and general needs of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte
- Mary Jane Winfrey Catholic Charities Endowment Fund: provides for the general needs of Catholic Charities
For information on establishing or contributing to an endowment, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.