ORLANDO | On Oct. 26, 2025, torrential rain hit parts of Lake County, washing out roads, houses and infrastructure. As the waters surrounded the Ernst family home, Claire Ernst describes rapid flooding that “left us running up a hill with …
Calm before and after the storm
Catholic Charities shares disaster response expertise
ORLANDO | More than 200 attendees representing nearly 70 Catholic Charities agencies gathered in Orlando March 16-20, 2026, for the Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence training hosted by Catholic …
Night of Poverty stirs compassion for the homeless
EUSTIS | The concrete floor offered little comfort for the teens and young adults wrapped in sleeping bags in 63-degree weather in late February.
Those were the conditions a group of 30 teens and young adult leaders placed themselves in …
Special needs met at sensory friendly Mass
VIERA | With two young boys with autism, Mass for Candace Melo and her husband, John, felt challenging rather than a source of peace or an opportunity to spiritually refuel.
Their eldest fidgeted, the youngest, often loud, needed to move …
Ministry of presence brings hope to hurricane victims
JAMAICA | Three days before Hurricane Melissa’s 185 mph winds ravaged the coast of Jamaica, caregiver Nateena Brown learned the storm would directly hit her hometown of St. Elizabeth.
“I started to brace myself,” Brown said. Recounting how the winds …
Program builds faith, friendship for girls
Editor’s Note: The following ins the first in a three-part series on youth programs.
MERRITT ISLAND | Divine Mercy Parish is seeking to help girls grow in faith and build strong friendships and identities in Christ through Sisters of Strength. …
Catholic Charities helps couple
ORLANDO | Adrian and Mary Ann Zaccardi are not used to asking for help. After an unfortunate series of events, the elderly couple turned to Catholic Charities of Central Florida and the team came to their rescue.
It started in …
Donations provide beds for recovering homeless
CASSELBERRY | The care and compassion of parishioners from Nativity Parish in Longwood facilitated the purchase of 34 hospital beds for Pathways to Care, a non-profit assisted living facility for homeless persons recovering after illness or surgery.
Members of the …
Compassion fuels volunteers who serve callers
ORLANDO | The St. Gabriel Call Center at Catholic Charities of Central Florida receives approximately 150 calls for assistance per day for family stability program support. There is not enough time to answer all of them, but two volunteers try …
For one council member, to work is to pray
ORLANDO | Her motto, frequently spoken to inspire others is “to work is to pray.” For 64 years, Rita Billingsley, a parishioner of Ascension Parish in Melbourne, has worked and prayed tirelessly for and with women, priests and bishops of …