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Catholic Charities Hawaii, rooted in the gospel of Jesus, exists to carry out the social mission of the church by serving the people of Hawaii without regard to their faith or culture.

We are a community of hope that promotes the dignity of each person by helping them empower themselves. We provide a wide range of social services with compassion and a commitment to excellence. Through our programs and our advocacy for social justice, we lovingly serve all people, especially those with the greatest need.

In the Hawaiian spirit of ohana, we join with parishes, agencies, and community groups. We welcome all people of good will to share our mission.

History:
World War II created a devastating impact on many families in Hawaii. Bishop James J. Sweeney, seeing a vital need to create specialized services to meet the pressing needs of the people of Hawaii, invited the Maryknoll Sisters to develop a family and child welfare agency. In February of 1944, Sister Victoria Francis, a pioneer in modern social work in New York, along with three other Maryknoll sisters organized Catholic Charities in Hawaii.

In 1948, the agency became known as Catholic Social Services to distinguish its specialized casework. The agency continued to expand as an instrument of the church. It responded to the growing social needs within the community, and developed both professional and paraprofessional programs. Then in 1985, the agency returned to the name of Catholic Charities. Today, Catholic Charities Hawaii provides statewide social services through 38 programs to those with the greatest need.

Contact person: Cathy Pai, Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Address:

250 Vineyard Street Honolulu, HI 96813-2495 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.CatholicCharitiesHawaii.org