Enjoy our rich history through photos
It all started when a group of concerned Catholics came together to help children orphaned by poverty and disease. Over time, their efforts expanded to include food, clothing, education, and housing.
1899
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens is founded in response to the needs of children orphaned in Brooklyn by poverty and disease. With 1.3 million residents in Brooklyn and Queens, concerned Catholics come together to address the community’s needs.
1917
The United States enters WWI, prompting the formation of the National Catholic War Council by the US Bishops, influencing the future work of Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities served the poor by providing child and family welfare services, social activities, protective care, and health services, as well as services for the "Old Age.”
1945
The Diocese purchases 191 Joralemon Street, providing a central location for Catholic Charities’ operations.
1962
The federal government begins rehabilitating people experiencing poverty through social services.
1970s
Catholic Charities opens its first federally funded Head Start program for children at St. Joseph Hall, a girls’ home in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
1980
Catholic Charities expands its reach to over 100 programs, becoming one of America’s leading voluntary human service organizations.
2000s
Catholic Charities grows to offer more than 160 programs and services, remaining committed to meeting the community’s diverse needs.
Present
Today, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens serves over 5 million neighbors with more than 160 programs, providing $6.5 million in food assistance annually and responding to over 35,000 calls for assistance through its Call Center. CCBQ maintains 4,567 units of affordable housing and serves more than 16,000 seniors per year through Older Adult Services programs. Catholic Charities remains dedicated to its tradition of community outreach, advocacy, and social justice, providing quality social services to neighbors in need throughout Brooklyn and Queens.
