Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. has a rich history that spans decades and across millennia. Though the scope of its programs and services has undergone dramatic changes to keep pace with the changing needs of the communities served, Catholic Charities has always focused on its mission of service to all of God’s people in need with a preferential option to serve the poor. With the faithful service of its staff and volunteers, Catholic Charities will continue to help God’s people of every race, culture, and religion who live in our community with dignity and self-respect.
The 60s
On July 17, 1962 Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. was organized at the request of William L. Adrian, Bishop of the Diocese of Nashville, which at that time included the entire state of Tennessee. Msgr. Leo Siener was named the first executive director and his staff included one secretary and, by the end of 1962, four caseworkers. The office was located in the Chancery at 421 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee and was established with a $100 donation and a $1,000 loan from the Diocese. Between August, 1962 and July, 1966, foster homes were established for 43 Cuban children.
In 1964, the Nashville office of Charities made their first adoptive placement. In 1966, 98 unwed mothers applied for assistance. 39 were counseled. In 1966, 65 families received emergency aid.
In 1966, 49 families and 24 individuals received counseling from the social work staff. In 1966, 63 homeless persons, mostly single males, were assisted by our staff.
In 1966, a day care kindergarten program (Head Start) for children of low income working mothers was established at the Assumption School. Catholic Charities was the first voluntary agency in Metropolitan Nashville to receive an Office of Economic Opportunity grant.
The Diocese of Memphis was formed in 1971. After the split, Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. included all the counties east of the Tennessee River. Bishop Joseph A. Durick appointed Rev. Louis J. Junod as the second executive director of Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. in 1970.
During the 1970's, assistance was provided to approximately 45,000 persons in programs ranging from family counseling, emergency assistance, geriatrics, adoptions and pregnancy counseling, refugee services, child care and social ministries.
In August of 1975, the Refugee Resettlement Program, funded by the United States Catholic Conference, began and resettled approximately 3,000 refugees from 1978 to the early 80s. In response to the turmoil in Southeast Asia, refugees were mostly from Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
In 1977, Bishop James D. Niedergeses appointed Sister Andrea Vaughan, D.C. as the third executive director of Catholic Charities and first female to hold this position within the Diocese.
In the fall of 1980 the Diocese of Nashville, in conjunction with monies granted by HUD, completed Villa Maria Manor, a 214-unit apartment complex for low income elderly or handicapped citizens. In August of 1990 Catholic Charities became the managing agent for this complex.
In 1983 Charities joined with Assumption and St. Vincent de Paul parishes to open an office in the North Nashville area. The program provides direct service to the population of North Nashville which includes many elderly and single parents living below the poverty level. In the beginning, this office was staffed with volunteers and one sister from the Daughters of Charity.
In 1984 Charities opened the Adult Day Care program for frail elderly persons. At that time this was the only one of its kind in the Middle Tennessee area. Today, the program operates five days per week and is open to anyone in the Nashville area. It offers an opportunity for the participants to socialize with others and provides respite for family members who serve as caretakers.
In October of 1986 Bishop James D. Niedergeses appointed William P. Sinclair as the fourth and current director of Catholic Charities. Mr. Sinclair is the first lay person to serve in this position.
In 1986 the CHAP (Creating Hope by Assisting Parents) program was established to provide crisis intervention to families whose children are vulnerable to abuse and neglect. This program duplicated the successful program (Columbus Home Abuse Prevention) designed by the Knoxville Charities staff. The major funding for this program is provided by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services and Tennessee OCJP.
In September of 1988 the Diocese of Knoxville was formed leaving Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. to serve the 36 counties of Middle Tennessee.
The staff of Charities grew to 75 during the 1980's. Charities provided a social worker for Middle Tennessee Parish Outreach. Counseling was provided in parochial schools. Catholic Charities and six other agencies formed a coalition and received funding from United Way to begin a Living at Home program designed to enable elderly persons to remain in their homes and maintain their independence. Refugee Resettlement received grants from the Tennessee Department of Human Services for support services to refugees over an extended period of time and for a job development program. This program provides perhaps the most successful job development program for refugees in the entire country. Pregnancy & Adoption services continued to place children maintaining an approved waiting list of 45 to 50 homes seeking an adoptive placement. Hundreds of young women received pregnancy counseling. Adoption was one of the options offered while most elected to parent their child.
In 1990 Charities was approached by the Department of Human Services requesting that we open an office in the Clarksville area to make permanent plans for children in their custody by providing intense casework services to the families of these children. The families being served have a history of child abuse and or neglect. Immaculate Conception Church provides office space for this program.
In 1990, at the request of Bishop Niedergeses, an AIDS Spiritual Companion program was begun by Catholic Charities using trained volunteers to provide support and spiritual companionship to persons who have tested HIV positive, and their families.
In 1990 a transportation program was added to the North Nashville Outreach program with the donation and funding of a 15 passenger van from St. Thomas Hospital. This service provided transportation for the elderly and low income families in that area who have no other means of transportation.
In 1991 the Tennessee Department of Human Services contracted with Catholic Charities to provide M.A.P.P. (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) training to individuals and families who have applied through the Department of Human Services to adopt or foster special needs children.
In 1992 we were granted funds from Baby Doe to begin the CHAP PLUS program. These funds were mandated by congress for children with handicapping conditions and their families to provide home-based counseling and parenting training for those families who may be at risk for abuse and have a frail child or child with a handicapping condition.
In the five year period from 1962 through 1967 Catholic Charities served a total of 3,500 persons statewide. In 1991 Catholic Charities provided 21,000 hours of professional services. Volunteers contributed over 10,000 hours. 10,000 people were served in Middle Tennessee. Catholic Charities is funded primarily by the people of the Diocese of Nashville with grants from United Way, State of Tennessee, Ladies of Charity, federal monies and many generous community contributions. From a modest beginning in 1962 Catholic Charities has grown to include 34 programs with a budget over $1 million.
This decade has brought ever increasing need for services and response to those needs through the hard work of the Catholic Charities staff and volunteers.
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