RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is marking its 100th year in 2017 as a faith-based, nonprofit social service organization open to all in need; and
WHEREAS, In 1917, as the nation was in the depths of World War I, Cardinal George Mundelein tapped a group of prominent Chicago Catholic businessmen, including Dennis Francis Kelly, president of retail giants Mandel Brothers and The Fair Store, Edward Flines, president of Edward Hincs Lumber Company, Charles A. Comiskey, founder and owner of die Chicago White Sox, and Robert M. Sweilzer, Cook County Clerk to fundraise for the Archdiocese; and
WHEREAS, This group was formally chartered in 1.918 and laid the groundwork for what is now Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, During the Great Depression, Catholic Charities was a key partner in a Chicagoland effort to aid families struggling to survive prolonged unemployment; and
WHEREAS, Along with helping people access private and public relief programs, the agency became well-known for feeding the hungry, caring for orphans and unwed mothers and their children; and
WHEREAS, By 1945 a group of 48 individual program sites were under the auspices of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, During the latter half of the 20th century, Catholic Charities had grown and changed to reflect societal needs; and
WHEREAS, Through the 1990s and into the 21st century, the agency increased its programming for seniors and built many affordable residences for the elderly while partnering with state and federal programs; and
WHEREAS, Along with new initiatives, Catholic Charities has continued to provide core services for basic human needs, including emergency assistance, counseling, addiction treatment, employment and training; and
WHEREAS, Today Catholic Charities is one of the largest private, non-profit social service agencies in the Midwest, assisting approximately one million people annually without re...
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