Catholic Charities/Schenectady turns 70, but is still growing

Catholic Charities of Schenectady is celebrating its 70th anniversary with a dinner this weekend to mark seven decades of serving the needy in that county.

It first opened its doors on August 2, 1937, in a small building on State Street in the city of Schenectady. According to a history compiled through 1986 by former board of directors president Jim Gibney, the agency was charged with the mission of "caring for destitute Catholic children in need of suitable homes."

At that time, the Public Welfare Department of Schenectady had 58 children in foster care; Catholic Charities was asked to help meet their needs.

Growing years

Over the next 20 years, Catholic Charities' objective became the care of and boarding of "destitute, abandoned, delinquent and neglected children, and to receive Catholic children by surrender, adoption, commitment, or who were on parole or probation, and to provide moral, religious and physical training of the young and adolescent."

During those years, the agency developed a rapport with judges, probation officers and child welfare authorities, which built a foundation of trust and reliability that the agency continues to enjoy with the legal system.

Many changes occurred between 1956 and 1974, including establishing family counseling services and personality adjustment guidance of children. Catholic Charities also began to offer assistance to unmarried mothers.

Doing more

In the 1970s, as part of a general reorganization of Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese, the Schenectady agency increased its operating budget to provide for vital community services, such as a Mobile Meals Program for the elderly and a meal program at the Ten Eyck Senior Citizen's Center.

The agency also changed its name again -- to Schenectady Catholic Family Services -- and John Steele was appointed director in 1975, a role he still fills.

"During the 1970s and 1980s," he told The Evangelist, "we were able to write grant requests for larger sums of federal and state monies. As a result, we were able to add case-worker programs to those services we had already established. This allowed us to significantly expand these programs, which provided much needed services to seniors and families."

The name of the agency was again changed to Catholic Family & Community Services as it began to provide a Preventive Services program for children under 16, neighborhood outreach programs to low-income families, family life education programs, teen pregnancy counseling, and collaboration with outside consulting and community services in dealing with psycho-social problems.

Expansion

"When you look at the history of our agency," Mr. Steele noted, "you can see just how we have grown and expanded. Today, we are a large, multi-service agency with 13 separate programs, and our operating budget has expanded to $5 million.

"Our service programs for seniors comprise nearly one-half of our budget. We continue to provide transportation services and a wide range of programs for them, including adult daycare centers and a growing healthcare services program. We also provide an array of programs for youth.

"We care for people from birth through death."

(9/20/07)