The five Catholic Charities in the diocese — Livingston County Catholic Charities, Catholic Charities of Washtenaw County, Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, Catholic Charities of Jackson, Hillsdale and Lenawee Counties, and Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties — each operates as its own organization under direction of the Diocese of Lansing. Aimee serves as the common factor, sitting on every board and acting as the connection between each group and Bishop Boyea. 

The shared mission of the charities, Aimee says, is simply to love well those who are in need. “We serve from womb to tomb. The mission, and what the bishop wants, is each charity helping at every stage of life. From foster care to pregnancy counseling and infant adoptions all the way up to seniors.” The work of the charities, though partly sustained by grants and funding, also relies on DSA dollars. A large portion of donated dollars fund counseling needs in all five of the charities, in addition to covering other individual services such as food pantries, senior services and more. 

DSA monies are crucial because their use can flex to meet the breadth of need, Aimee wants the faithful to know that their money is being used prudently. “If you give to DSA,” Aimee notes, “your dollars directly help with counseling and other programs that have shortfalls.” Counseling provided by Catholic Charities is unique as it is offered to those with and without insurance, and in that the Catholic nature of the services is uncompromised. “All five of the charities provide counseling services. In some counties, these are the only organizations that accept Medicare and Medicaid and the only source of counseling and therapy for people who don’t have any commercial insurance. When needed, services are provided free of cost.” 

Consistent with national trends, the need for counseling in the diocese has increased in recent years. “The needs range from intense substance-abuse, to mothers suffering from postpartum depression, to children in school settings. A whole range of counseling services is provided and it’s an area that always loses money because the reimbursement rate is lower than the cost.”

Aimee says the mission remains front and center. “The reality is that Catholic Charities is reliant on grants and funding, but in the environment we’re in and because we want to remain true to the Catholic Church, we want to know we can keep operating. So far, our rights have been protected, but that may not always be the case.” Proud that the charities are committed to being bold in their Catholic mission, Aimee says. “We’re focusing on increasing the Catholic nature of the charities. Some changes have been small and incremental while some have been big. Within a year, hopefully four of the five charities will have a chapel with the Eucharist present as we are trying to make this obvious and doing our best to address both the spiritual and the physical.” 

Grateful for those who donate to DSA and desiring them to more fully understand Catholic Charities’ mission, Aimee says it ultimately boils down to the needs of God’s people. “I want people who donate to understand the broad range that Catholic Charities provides. And I want them to know that ultimately, the people who work at the charities are laying down their lives in profound ways to serve. We aim to meet needs according to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, so that any person with any of those needs could go to Catholic Charities and get help.” It is a mission worth supporting, loving God’s people from womb to tomb.