Shoulder to Shoulder, We Welcome All

The Welcome Center at Catholic Charities Kansas City-St. Joseph means just what the name indicates – “a center that welcomes all.” It is designed to help those in need with the basic necessities in life like food, clothing, and shelter, no matter their race, religion, or background.

When one of these three necessities is lacking, the long-term goal of a prosperous life is compromised. We exist to encourage the clients coming in that a healthy life of self-reliance is possible, no matter their current circumstance.

We help our clients meet those basic needs by connecting our clients to a network of food pantries, internal case management services, emergency assistance sites, and community partners. At Catholic Charities, we understand that, by working together with fellow agencies, we can help eradicate poverty for our neighbors in need. We are blessed to be part of the greater good in northwest Missouri, and help each individual find a pathway out of poverty, permanently.     As you can see from the chart above, many of our service area counties have a high level of poverty, especially in comparison to the state-wide average of 13.4% and a national average of 13.1% (Missouri Poverty Report 2020).

The good news is that since 2014, we’ve seen seen an average 2% decrease across our 27-counties. That is truly amazing!

By working shoulder to shoulder, we see the good work of dedicated agencies, donors, supporters, and front-line workers is truly making an impact on our community. The only way for us to help decrease this percentage is to “welcome everyone” into the center, work alongside likeminded people, and provide the guidance, education, and resources needed.

Within the next month, we will be sharing our Annual Report containing more in-depth information and statistics as to how Catholic Charities has been able to serve the community over the past year. Stay tuned!

For more information, please contact Dionne at dblake@ccharities.com or (816) 659-8258.