This Women’s History Month, We Celebrate the Resilience and Strength of the Women We Serve

Nearly 80% of Catholic Charities Boston’s workforce are women, from members of our leadership team to childcare teachers to social workers to legal attorneys.  

The brave women we have the privilege to serve and work with inspire us every day. To every woman strong enough to seek help and support when needed––from young mothers balancing parenting with high school diplomas, to women who do whatever it takes to find safety and security for their families, to the changemakers quietly serving the most vulnerable among us ––we celebrate you this Women’s History Month.  

Her Faith is Unshakeable 

“I am so grateful to Catholic Charities for helping us to find a home,” said Dironise, a former resident of the Catholic Charities Inn. “Every time I see a homeless person living on the street, I put my hands up and think, ‘Thank you, God, that we have Catholic Charities.’”  

After months of tirelessly working with their CCI case managers to secure affordable housing, Dironise and her family have a two-bedroom apartment to call home. Dironise says they would not be where they are today if it weren’t for the incredible dedication of the CCI staff and for her unwavering faith, which provided her with a wellspring of hope and trust through the uncertainty of the past year.  

“My courage, faith, and actions allowed us to get here,” she said. “I really believe it’s a great miracle.” 

Part of Her Village 

Kathy, too, believes that Catholic Charities Boston was placed in her life for a reason. It was through the agency’s former adoption services that she gained a little brother at twelve years old and years later, adopted two beautiful children with her husband, making her a mother and filling her life with meaning. When life brought Kathy the most difficult challenge any mother can imagine––losing a child––it was to Catholic Charities Boston she turned to find hope and begin to heal.   

“I’ve learned how important faith is and having a village to lean on,” said Kathy, who has attended two of Catholic Charities Boston’s Growth Through Grief retreats for mothers who have lost children to substance use disorder, offered through the agency’s Recovering Connections Program. “Catholic Charities Boston is a part of our village.” 

Kathy said her involvement in the Recovering Connections program has deepened both her faith and her determination to help those struggling with the disease. 

“I do not hold back anymore,” she said. “This is something that needs to be talked about.” 

She Will Do Anything for her Children 

“My children motivate me more than anything,” said Eva, a Boston native and single mother of four who moved into Catholic Charities Boston’s Nazareth Family Shelter after the family’s former apartment became infested with mice and mold. 

Determined to provide her children with a safe home and bright futures, Eva worked with her case managers every day to secure affordable housing.  

In early March, just two weeks after her son was born, Eva found out she was approved for a three-bedroom apartment in Boston that will comfortably fit her family. Eva says she couldn’t be more grateful to Catholic Charities Boston for supporting her throughout her pregnancy and for helping her family get back on their feet. 

Healthy Families client Lindy knows more than anyone the selflessness and courage that motherhood demands. When Lindy unexpectedly became pregnant at 17 years old, she moved to Massachusetts to seek a better life for herself and her unborn daughter. 

Thanks to Catholic Charities Healthy Families North Shore program in Lynn, however, Lindy not only gained access to resources and information on motherhood but became a part of a community that lifted her up and taught her to believe in herself.   

“It can be hard since my own mom is not here with me,” said Lindy. “I miss my family. But my case manager and the other staff members have been like mothers to me.”   

She Dreams of Making the World a Better Place 

For months after fleeing political upheaval in her native country of Venezuela, 17-year-old Victoria wondered if she had made the right decision by moving to the U.S.   

“I felt very frustrated not knowing English and thinking my goals to attend college and get a job were unrealistic and impossible to achieve,” Victoria said.   

When Victoria learned about El Centro’s ESOL and workforce development pathways, she finally felt a flicker of hope returning.   

Victoria worked to become fluent in English, eventually graduating from El Centro’s level five ESOL course and discovering a newfound and unexpected interest in the field of cybersecurity. 

Today, Victoria is enrolled in a Cybersecurity training at Benjamin Franklin Institute in the fall through an El Centro grant, with hopes to eventually gain her bachelor’s degree in computer science.    

“I’ve learned technology is not just an important tool in life; it’s a powerful way to make a difference too, and that is what I want to do with my future,” said Victoria.  

At 92 years old, lifelong Lowell resident Marcia remains committed to making a difference in the world as well.  For the past fifteen years, she has been giving back to her community by collecting and donating cereal to Catholic Charities Boston’s Lowell Food Pantry every month.    

“The older I get, the more in tune I feel with people that are hurting,” she said. “I just want to do something, and I can’t do the big things anymore as I once could, so the small things are what I do. We all can do something.”    

To learn more about how you can support Catholic Charities Boston’s clients, visit our Ways to Give page.