ORLANDO | A sea of white hairnets covered much of the Central Florida Fairgrounds hall Aug. 24, 2024, as more than 2,000 volunteers prepared meals for the hungry. Catholic Charities of Central Florida staff and volunteers joined Light Orlando in …
Nurse practitioner committed to God’s will to help others
ST. CLOUD | When Dr. Romualdo Dator had the idea of opening a free medical clinic in Osceola County, Bethanne Smith wanted to be a part of it. Fifteen years later, she is still taking care of patients with tenderness …
Farmworkers face tragedy, find support
After bus crash Catholic Charities offers counseling, necessities as farmworkers recover from injuries
ORLANDO | The eating area of the Days Inn in Gainesville was filled with men, beleaguered by the past days’ events and still stunned by the bus …
Blessings x2
Twins = mother’s and family’s unexpected blessings
ORLANDO | Desperately eager to learn if she was pregnant or not, 22-year-old Ediana Valdez didn’t wait to get home to take her pregnancy test. Instead, she ran to the store bathroom.…
Diocese addresses mental health through conference
ORLANDO | In response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops National Campaign for Mental Health, the Diocese of Orlando is hosting a full-day conference on the subject. Coordinators hope the Catholic Mental Health Gathering will provide an opportunity for …
Volunteers recognized at new awards banquet
APOPKA | Almost 80 Catholic Charities of Central Florida volunteers from different parts of the Diocese of Orlando were recognized April 13, 2024, for their dedication and hard work toward helping those in need. The volunteers served in various ministries …
Paying it forward: Young man shares his gifts to help refugees
ORLANDO | Dhanush is 15 years old. As a young boy in India, he discovered a gift for technology. Seeing those less privileged around him, he wanted to share it by teaching computer skills to the less fortunate. He found …
AmeriCorps volunteer renews stay at Catholic Charities
ORLANDO | Joseph Fayed is passionate about his work with Catholic Charities of Central Florida Refugee Services. As part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program, Fayed joined Catholic Charities in January 2023, assisting in volunteer recruitment and youth mentoring of refugees. …
What is JOMO? The joy of missing out
ORLANDO | Bridget Newsum didn’t want to be in Chicago, but her husband Nick was doing his fellowship there.
She had two small children, one on the way, and lived on a tight budget after giving up a job in …
Blessing for seniors in need
ST. CLOUD | On March 7, Juan Vega, Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s director of food ministries, joined his team in delivering more than 40 boxes each filled with 30 pounds of food to St. Anthony Garden Courts residents in …