Catholic Charities Boston Launches Social Service Study To Better Serve Gateway Cities

Brockton is the first Massachusetts Gateway City to take part in a six-month research study led by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute  

Catholic Charities Boston, in partnership with the City of Brockton and UMass Donahue Institute, has embarked on a six-month research study to evaluate social services available in Brockton to determine how the Agency can best serve individuals and families residing in the city. 

Catholic Charities has provided critical social services to those most in need in Brockton and beyond for decades and is continually expanding and enhancing its many programs to better meet the growing demand of people seeking assistance. 

“Our strategic plan calls for the revitalization of our multi-service centers and we want to use this data to ensure that we are providing the services most needed in a way that is easily accessible to those in the community,” said Kevin M. MacKenzie, President and CEO of Catholic Charities Boston. “We are excited to begin the multi-year transformational process of shaping the Agency for the future.” 

This study is the first step in a multi-year strategic planning approach to help Catholic Charities expand its reach and bolster its multi-service centers in Gateway Cities, beginning with Brockton and Lynn. 

Brockton offers a wide variety of social services to its residents. Catholic Charities has long been a partner in Brockton and this study seeks to find new ways to connect with and better serve people in need in the city of 105,000 people. 

“Catholic Charities is an essential component of Brockton’s social services network. We are grateful to Catholic Charities and the UMass Donahue Institute for their partnership in finding new avenues to improve the quality of life for our residents. The City of Champions, with the assistance from these venerable institutions, will only continue to grow and thrive,” said Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan. 

Led by Dr. Mark Melnik, Director of Economic and Public Policy Research at the UMass Donahue Institute, researchers will assess current services that Catholic Charities, as well as other major nonprofit organizations, provide in Brockton.  

The team will identify potential social service gaps and overlaps to make recommendations on how best Catholic Charities can meet community needs. Researchers also plan to interview local service providers, city officials, and experts in the non-profit sector, and organize focus groups of community members, to better understand the needs of people living in Brockton. The project will include comprehensive reviews of Brockton’s demographic and economic trends, local non-profit providers and exciting research regarding the city’s social and community makeup.  

To learn more about CCAB, visit https://www.ccab.org. 

About Catholic Charities Boston 

As one of Massachusetts’ largest non-profit social service organizations, Catholic Charities of Boston serves our most vulnerable neighbors each year, regardless of religion, race, gender, age, disability, or ethnicity. Catholic Charities has five regional hub locations in Dorchester, Lynn, Brockton, Lowell, and South Boston, with 23 program locations supporting families across Eastern Massachusetts. The Agency’s four core services assist clients with Basic Needs, Family & Youth Services, Adult Education & Workforce Development, and Refugee & Immigrant Services. We help our clients move from crisis to stability to self-sufficiency.